Govt Commits $4m to Rural Wellbeing Initiatives
While the District Field Days brought with it a welcome dose of sunshine, it also attracted a significant cohort of sitting members from the Beehive – as one might expect in an election year.
Handypiece is a fully portable shearing handpiece being used by thousands of farmers and ag workers, in diverse roles across the globe.
While the main use is sheep shearing, it is also finding favour with those operators crutching, dagging, cow tail trimming and cattle branding, alongside alpaca and goat shearing, Tb testing of deer, grass sampling and plant trimming.
The Handypiece Pro has variable speed ranging from 2400 – 3500rpm.
Dagging, crutching and trimming cows’ tails operate well at a mid-speed of 2700rpm, while anyone wanting to get a nice cut while shearing can wind it all the way up to 3500rpm.
The brushless motor means the battery lasts even longer and it is possible to crutch up to 300-400 sheep from one battery charge.
The Handypiece kit comes with 12 amp/hr and 6 amp/hr batteries, battery charger, a belt, holster and pouch all made from heavy-duty leather, 5m extension cord and a carry kit bag.
Mainland Poultry has confirmed new ownership of its vertically integrated agribusiness with Pacific Equity Partners Gateway (PEP Gateway) now joining current shareholders Navis.
The recently published State of the Industry -Tractors and Machinery 2025 from the Australian Tractor and Machinery Association (TMA), the equivalent of New Zealand’s TAMA, gives an interesting perspective of the industry.
Strong competition and tightening supply have seen wool reach its highest prices paid at auction since 2011.
The Government is funding a feasibility study to investigate what would be required for a successful farmer-led purchase of the McCain Foods' vegetable processing site in Hastings.
A young man just five years out of his Lincoln University degree already has his foot in the door of farm ownership, as equity manager of a large new dairy conversion now taking shape in Mid- Canterbury.
Visitors to the LIC stand at this year’s Fieldays can expect practical farm conversations, specialist drop-in sessions and exclusive shareholder events.

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