Former Federated Farmers national vice president Karen Williams has been appointed the new chief executive of Irrigation New Zealand.

Despite conditions in the farm machinery industry, which can only be described as difficult, the German-headquartered Claas Group has reported net sales of €5 billion for the 2024 financial, around €1.1 billion, or 19% lower than the corresponding period in 2023.

While the LDV brand has been available in New Zealand for a number of years, it’s typically been recognised as a second tier offering. That has started to change after distribution passed to the Inchcape Group in 2023, who are on a trajectory to improve that public perspective, and in due course, push sales upwards.

Announced at the end of the year at the EIMA 2024 Event in Bologna, Italy, the Case IH Quadtrac 715 - the new flagship model in the Case IH tractor range - has won the Tractor of the Year 2025 High-Power Category for models of 300-plus horsepower.

OPINION: In the last few weeks of 2024 there was a lot of noise in the UK and Europe about the methane inhibitor, Bovaer, and concerns raised as to its safety.

OPINION: In twelve months’ time, plus or minus, we’ll be in the same place, give or take, and thinking the same things, more or less.

OPINION: It divides opinion, but the House has passed the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) has declared restricted fire seasons for the Waikato, Northland and Canterbury.

Changes to migrant visa settings announced last month should take a lot of pressure off farmers in the new season, says Federated Farmers immigration spokesman Richard McIntyre.

After a fairly typical first half of spring there has been a noticeable change in the weather across much of New Zealand.