Plasback continues to lead the charge in New Zealand’s agricultural recycling space, achieving a record-breaking milestone in 2024 with 6800 tonnes of farm plastics collected and diverted from burying or burning practices.

Words: Neil Waddingham, Bayer New Zealand  

Ryegrass is on the attack and time isn’t on our side. 

Seed supplier plays it cool

A big new facility in Hamilton is helping put premium grass seed on-farm faster this autumn, and in peak condition for sowing. 

Manawatu-based H&T Agronomics has teamed up with a Californian ag tech company to launch a new microbial seed treatment here this season. 

If you don’t plan before autumn sowing, things can go downhill fast.

Farmlands recently purchased the Winton feed mill site, demonstrating the co-op’s commitment to the Southland region and to becoming the number-one farmer-owned supplier of quality nutrition for New Zealand farmers.  

Wild oats can have a very significant impact on cereal grain yields. But so too can a common seed and grazing crop on many arable farms, namely ryegrass.

New grass bred for yield and animal health is helping one sheep and beef farm wean more lambs off mum in the drought-prone hills of southern Hawke’s Bay. 

Ballance Agri-Nutrients, in conjunction with Plucks Engineering and Southwater, is developing an innovative dairy effluent management system designed to help farmers improve on-farm effluent practices and reduce environmental impact. 

A novel decision making tool to help farmers get the best out of their pastures continues to go from strength to strength this season, Nufarm says. 

Emma Chrystall has joined Catalyst Performance Agronomy as sales agronomist for Ruapehu, Rangitikei, Manawatu & Hawkes Bay. 

Seed and Grain New Zealand and the NZ Plant Breeding and Research Association have appointed a joint chief executive, Sarah Clark.

Warren Tanner has joined SealesWinslow as the company’s new technical sales representative for Franklin and North West Waikato.

Ben Penno has received the 2024 Fruitfed Supplies Horticultural Scholarship.

Irrigation New Zealand chair Keri Johnston says she’s pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Williams to CEO, effective 24 February.

Jaime Heywood is happy to admit he was ‘blown away’ by the scale of New Zealand’s seed industry when he joined Barenbrug as finance director 16 years ago. 

Robert Sharkie has joined Farmlands in the newly created position of general manager of field and technical sales. 

Even after decades in crop protection, Gordon Harris enjoys nothing more than getting out on orchards, vineyards or farms where producers haven’t got quite the results they’ve wanted, and helping solve the situation. 

Scott Technology has secured multiple high-value contracts with leading global companies, showcasing the strength of its protein automation portfolio. 

Eastland Port in Gisborne has achieved a monumental milestone in its decade-long Twin Berth Development journey, with the recent issue of new consent from the Environment Court.