Reduce your weed burden
Weed wiping has taken many formats over the last 50 years or more, with some systems achieving much better results than others.
Showcased at the recent Waimumu Field Days, Rotowiper’s latest addition to its tractor mounted wiper range, the big 12m span machine dominated the site, complementing the current 6m (working width) FU600 and the 9m FU900 Fold-ups.
Like the other Fold-up models, the 12m is designed for three-point linkage mounting, featuring five sections that easily fold to a 3m transport width.
Rotowiper owner, Dougal Lamont says, “the 12m model on display is aimed at large scale farmers, here and in Australia, and is designed to be flexible across uneven ground, making it suitable for all types of terrains, including rolling country”.
The 12m unit tips the scales at two tonnes. It has three ‘balloontyred’ oscillating wheels, rearwards of the three centre sections, that take care of working height, complemented by individual wheels at the extremities of the outer wings.
Utilising the same herbicide application technology used throughout the wellknown Rotowiper range, the big unit features twin 200 litre chemical tanks, five distribution pumps, and a control box offering auto-function, timer and manual control options.
Each application roller uses a hydraulic motor, allowing the operator to apply chemical to each roller separately. The start-up procedure is designed to avoid overloading the 12v system with pumps starting in sequence, then the reverse during shutdown. Lamont suggests the 12m unit will retail at about $55,000.
http://www.rotowiper.com/
Āta Regenerative is bringing international expertise to New Zealand to help farmers respond to growing soil and water challenges, as environmental monitoring identifies declining ecosystem function and reduced water-holding capacity across farms.
Yili's New Zealand businesses have reported record profits following a major organisational and strategic transformation.
Owners and lessees of certain Hino Trucks New Zealand diesel vehicles have just 10 days remaining to register or opt out of a proposed $10.9 million class action settlement.
Silver Fern Farms has successfully produced and delivered 90 tonnes of premium chilled New Zealand lamb and beef to the United Arab Emirates via airfreight.
For the first three months of 2026, new tractor deliveries saw an increase over the previous two months, resulting in year-to-date deliveries climbing to 649 units - around 5% ahead of the same period in 2025.
QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has issued a warning saying that global fertiliser scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies into 2027.

OPINION: When Donald Trump returned to the White House, many people with half a brain could see the results for…
OPINION: Media trust has tanked because of what media's more woke members do and say.