Grabbing bales made quick and easy
Front end loader and implement specialist Quicke has introduced the new Unigrip L+ and XL+ next-generation bale grabs, designed for users who need strength, efficiency, and soft handling in their daily tasks.
Incorporating Vaderstad's latest seed drill technology, the Proceed V 24, is said to improve precision and increase planting efficiencies for New Zealand farmers and growers from the 2026 season.
First shown in 2021, Proceed has picked up awards, including the2022 and 2023 Machine of the Year, alongside SIMA in France, LAMMA in the UK, AGROmash in Hungary and at the Agrosalon in Slovakia.
“Proceed V 24 represents a new category of seeding machines, by offering one machine that can increase the yield potential in a variety of crops, including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sugar beet, peas, maize, sunflower,” says Greg Moore, Norwood brand manager – equipment.
Previously, there has been a clear distinction between grain seed drills and precision planters for row crops.
Said to ensure the exact same start for all seeds, the merging of seeding and planting technologies in the Proceed V 24 brings the precision of planters to grain crops, while also maintaining the ability to plant at wider row distances, resulting in unprecedented crop quality and increased versatility.
Built around a variation of the familiar Gilstring seed metering unit from the Väderstad Tempo precision planter, the Proceed V 24 will plant even the smallest seed at the perfect depth with millimetre precision, resulting in a 50% lower seed rate for the same yield.
“The heart of Proceed is its high-precision row units and PowerShoot technology,” says Greg. Available with 24 rows and a working width of six metres, the Proceed V 24 operates with either 225mm or 250mm row spacing with a 2,200- litre seed hopper. A front hopper can also be utilised to enable in-row fertiliser distribution.
Individually mounted pre-consolidation wheels ensure consistent conditions for each seed, while air pressure is used in three ways through the Väderstad PowerShoot system.
Positive air pressure ensures each seed is placed individually on the rotating seed discs. Air pressure is momentarily cut to allow the seed to be accurately placed into the seed tube, before resuming, to shoot or fire the seed down to the seedbed. When it leaves the short seed tube, the seed is received by a stop wheel, which ensures optimal seed-to-soil contact at the selected depth over the entire working width.
As part of the development journey, Väderstad’s engineers and testing department conducted extensive field tests throughout Europe to understand how farmers can get the most out of the Proceed, while independent researchers assessed results throughout the growing season. Proceed V 24 is available for NZ customers to order for spring 2026.
Farmer-owned co-operative Ravensdown is winding down the operations of its agritech subsidiary C-Dax following a long decline in sales.
The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.
A Research programme supported by Beef+Lamb NZ is investigating the potential of ‘accelerometer’ sensors for early detection of conditions such as facial eczema (FE) in sheep.
In the past year, the Farmer Time for Schools programme which seeks to connect New Zealand school students with farmers, has experienced further growth.
Fresh Carriers Co. Ltd (FCC) and Zespri have completed the first ever kiwifruit charter powered by a low-emissions fuel.
New Zealand lingerie brand Rose & Thorne is expanding its virtual bra fitting service in an effort to provide rural women in with better access to specialised advice.
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