Mountain Warrior's words of wisdom
The Mountain Warrior Shane Cameron is coming back to his roots as key note speaker at the East Coast Farming Expo Property Brokers Evening Muster in February.
Smartphones, farming apps and better coverage have all helped improve rural communications in recent years.
The latest in rural communications will again be high on the agenda at the East Coast Farming Expo.
Several communication specialists are exhibiting at the event on March 6 and 7 at the Wairoa A & P showground.
“Communication on farms needs to be as real-time as possible to enable more timely and accurate decision making,” says expo director Dave Martin.
“The old saying ‘knowledge is power’ is more relevant today than ever because of the speed at which modern business operates. Being remote no longer needs to be a barrier to operating effectively in the modern farming business environment,” he says.
“Increasing internet speeds and cellphone coverage, online sales reports, cloud recording and banking and financial programs allow many farmers the same instant access to decisionmaking tools as in a city business environment.”
Award-winning Gisborne radio communications company Colvins is attending the expo for the third time.
“The biggest development in radio communication in recent times is the advancement of the digital radio platform,” says manager Scott McSloy. “Digital radio provides better voice clarity and allows packets of data to be sent over the network.”
Colvins has installed at least 30 farm communication systems in the East Coast region.
“Most of these systems use solar-powered repeaters that we have specifically developed for the purpose,” McSloy says. “Being solar-powered allows the repeater to be placed at a convenient location for maximum property coverage.”
He says these radio systems have become an integral part of their farming operation.
Colvins will have this equipment on display and operating at the expo, for site visitors to see and try the features. They also have portable demonstration repeaters available for onfarm trials.
Gisborne Net’s Ronald Brice says getting more technology onfarm and more communications helps with safety.
For information or to buy tickets go to: www.eastcoastexpo.co.nz
Farmlands has reported higher operating earnings and a profit before income tax of $4.5 million, up 118.9%, for the year ended 30 June 2026.
AgriZeroNZ has invested a further NZ$17.7 million in methane vaccine developer ArkeaBio and NZ$5.1 million in BioLumic, a New Zealand-founded company that uses ultraviolet light to develop low-emissions pasture..
Good news for Fonterra farmers. The co-op has raised this season’s farmgate milk price mid-point by 25c to $9.75/kgMS.
OPINION: Political parties are getting plenty of advice and recommendations from sector groups as the election approaches.
In farming there are external factors that can influence behaviour of a whole herd, such as a bad weather event, triggering false positive heat detections or health attentions.
For Canterbury dairy farmer Cameron Henderson, supporting Meet the Need comes down to a simple question: how can the success of New Zealand farming benefit more than just those within the industry?

OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…