Rural News Group Limited

Shareholders have approved a proposed deal that will see Buhler Industries fully absorbed by Asko, its Turkish majority shareholder. Although there will be no change to the brands or the dealer networks, the Buhler name is to be dropped. 

The top accolade at the Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Awards went to 29-year-old, Feilding expat Steph Dryfhout. Steph has solidified her position as one of the world’s top tree climbers, with a victory in the 2024 ISA International Tree Climbing Championship, after double qualifying by triumphing in both the 2024 ISA Asia-Pacific Tree Climbing Championship and the 2023 New Zealand Tree Climbing Championship.

Penta mixer wagons are set to find favour with users who are looking for high specifications and competitive pricing. Established in 1970 in southwest Ontario, Penta mixer wagons were first introduced in 2001 and over the last two decades the company has gone on to expand its range with cultivators, dump box trailers and truck-mounted mixers.

The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) has appointed Dr Scott Champion as its new chief executive. FAR board chair, Steven Bierema, says Champion’s skills are well matched to the developing needs of New Zealand’s arable industry and its growers.

Taking up a considerable portion of the Power Farming site at the recent South Island Agricultural Field Days near Christchurch, the Kverneland Qualidisc 21000T trailed compact disc harrow, the first sold in the southern hemisphere, has a working width of 12.25m. Said to be suitable for cultivation from 3 to 15cm, the unit can also be used for seedbed preparation after ploughing.

New Zealand-based Robotics Plus has announced an agreement for it to be acquired by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., forming Yamaha Agriculture Inc. https://lnkd.in/gAq3un_8

Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched a new tool to help commercial beef farmers select the best bulls for their farm businesses. The launch of nProve Beef dominated the recent Beef Breeder Forum 2025 in Christchurch with speakers outlining the development of the tool and the new breeding indexes it depends on.

Three weeks on from Bremworth’s board overhaul, the carpet maker’s chief executive Greg Smith is stepping down. The new Bremworth board has appointed carpet industry expert Craig Woolford as interim CEO on a 12-month contract while the search for Smith’s successor is underway.

For Marlborough Sounds farmer Noel Moleta, farming hair sheep that need no shearing is one of the keys to running a low-input, low-intervention operation in a difficult and highly remote location. Moleta farms at Waitui, one of the many small bays at the very tip of the Marlborough Sounds.

DairyNZ has set a new levy rate of 4.5c/kgMS from 1 June 2025 and aims to keep the levy at no more than this rate for a minimum of three years. The decision to adjust the levy for the first time in 16 years follows a comprehensive consultation with farmers where DairyNZ held meetings across the country and received more than 1500 formal feedback submissions.