Let the games begin!
New Zealand's largest celebration of rural sports athletes and enthusiasts – New Zealand Rural Games - is back for its 10th edition, kicking off in Palmerston North from Thursday, March 6th to Sunday, March 9th, 2025.
Jam-packed with action, fizzing with giveaways: that's the promise of the Northland Field Days organisers.
"Exhibitors are pulling out all the stops to have plenty of things to win and do," says president Lew Duggan.
Anybody attending the event, on March 3-5, has a good chance of walking away with something special.
Northland Toyota is building a new, improved 4WD track – next to its site – to show off its new Toyota Hiluxs in 'real-world' conditions.
Sales consultant Nigel Gilmour
says people trying out a new model Toyota Hilux, FJ Land Cruiser or Toyota Fortuna on the 4WD course should expect a bumpier ride than last year.
"Drivers will experience challenging approach and departure angles right from the seat."
Toyota's new range of Hiluxs ranges from 2WD work trucks to high-spec 4WD Hiluxs.
"We've been working on the new range for five years, so it will be exciting to let people see them live. We are most excited by our new 2WD Hiluxs, which have the same ground clearance as our 4WD models."
Field day attendees will also get one chance each day to win their weight in meat via a competition organised by NZME and farm electronics manufacturer Tru-Test. Scales will be set up at the Tru-Test site to weigh visitors for the contest.
Tru-Test and the field days committee will auction off items on site, giving farmers an opportunity for great deals on fencing and other animal handling gear.
Commodity prices and interest rates play a huge role in shaping farmer confidence, but these factors are beyond their control, says Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre.
DairyNZ is supporting a proposed new learning model for apprenticeships and traineeships that would see training, education, and pastoral care delivered together to provide the best chance of success.
Two agritech companies have joined forces to help eliminate manual entry and save farmer time.
The recent squabble between the Cook Islands and NZ over their deal with China has added a new element of tension in the relationship between China and NZ.
The world is now amid potentially one of the most disruptive periods in world trade for a very long time.
Former Westland Milk boss Richard Wyeth is taking over as chief executive of Canterbury milk processor Synlait from May 19.
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