man o war

Pigtail standards made to last

Farmer engineer and owner of Strainrite Maurice Wooster.

Feedback from farmers highlighted frustration at the time and cost involved in frequently replacing failed pigtail posts.

Published in Machinery & Products

Belt merger added to arsenal

Pottinger says its recently released Mergento VT 9220 belt merger rake is better suited to ‘fragile’ crops such as lucerne and clover.

While most rakes or swathers are tine-based, over the last few years more and more manufacturers have been adding belt-based mergers to their product offerings.

Published in Machinery & Products

JD establishes new hort JV

John Deere has announced a joint venture with orchard and vineyard spraying technology company GUSS.

John Deere claims a joint venture between it and California-based technology company GUSS will assist horticulture producers achieve greater on-farm efficiency.

Published in Machinery & Products

All hands on deck

Many kiwifruit growers themselves have been out in the orchards with the picking crews and also helping out in packhouses to help ensure this season's crop gets harvested.

Growers are mucking in and helping staff to pick this year's kiwifruit crop.

Published in General News

'Pig' of a new welfare code

Pork NZ says no other country has completely banned the use of farrowing crates, which it claims is necessary during the highly vulnerable stage of newborn piglets' lives.

NZ's pig farming sector believes if a new draft welfare code for pigs is adopted it could spell the end of the country's pork industry.

Published in Farm Health

A season of fatigue!

Summerfruit NZ chief executive Kate Hellstrom says growers are fatigued, worn down and in need of a really good break.

It's been a hard and stressful year or the country's summerfruit growers.

Published in General News

Turning theory into practicality

Kirsten Duess' postgraduate research saw her lead a long-term field study on soil and catchment hydrolody in Southland and the role mole and tile play in that region.

Kirstin Deuss believes the findings of her research work into soil drainage in Southland will have benefits for other parts of New Zealand as well.

Published in Management

Less blight for potatoes and tomatoes

A new fungicide has recently been approved for use in New Zealand, subject to conditions.

Published in Management

Labour MPs support will kill live export

Live exporters believe the Government was swayed more by protestors than industry in its move to soon ban the practice.

Labour's 'Rural' MPs have towed the party line and backed Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor's move to wind-up NZ's $280 million-a-year live export industry.

Published in General News