Slippery slope
OPINION: It used to be that the National Fieldays attracted brickbats for being officious clipboard carriers, while the regional, farmer-run field days enjoyed the bouquets for being easier to deal with.
Norwood has signed an exclusive New Zealand distribution agreement with the Burel Group for the SKY Agriculture brand.
Effective immediately, the deal is an extension of the existing relationship Norwood has with the Burel Group that will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024.
As previously reported, the Burel Group has consolidated its Sulky, Sky, and Prolog retail brands into the SKY Agriculture, single brand strategy with a new look and feel.
This new partnership will mean Norwood has continued access to the traditional Sulky fertiliser spreader range and the range of seeding products, previously imported under the Sky brand by a different NZ distributor.
“The Sky brand, with products like the EasyDrill direct drill, is already well known in the market thanks to the great work done by the previous distributor, Tulloch Farm Machinery, the previous distributor. We thank John and his team for developing the Sky brand in New Zealand and we’re keen to build on their success,” says Rod Gardner, Norwood national product manager.
The refreshed SKY Agriculture brand will see a change in livery across all products, with Sulky’s traditional pale blue and red colour scheme to be replaced with two-tone grey and the new SKY Agriculture badge.
Norwood will supply the products across its 19 locations throughout New Zealand.
Another Australian state has given the green light to virtual fencing, opening another market for Kiwi company Halter.
Farmer interest continues to grow as a Massey University research project to determine the benefits or otherwise of the self-shedding Wiltshire sheep is underway. The project is five years in and has two more years to go. It was done mainly in the light of low wool prices and the cost of shearing. Peter Burke recently went along to the annual field day held Massey's Riverside farm in the Wairarapa.
Applications are now open for the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards, set to be held at Parliament on 23 July.
Ravensdown has announced a collaboration with Kiwi icon, Footrot Flats in an effort to bring humour, heart, and connection to the forefront of the farming sector.
Forest & Bird's Kiwi Conservation Club is inviting New Zealanders of all ages to embrace the outdoors with its Summer Adventure Challenges.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.

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