Australasian Farmers' & Dealers' Journal by Provincial Press Group

FEBRUARY 2014

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AU ST RALASIA N FA R M E R S’ & D E A LE R S ’

RURAL machinery, implements, parts, vehicles and technology

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

2-6 June 2014 Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

WATER FOR LIFE A FUTURE FOR ALL

Grow your business at the largest trade exhibition and conference dedicated to the irrigation industry in the Asia Pacific region.

Presented by:

132-003 Irrigation Australia Full Pagev8.indd 1

Organised by:

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

• Crop & Tillage • Fire Prevention • Water & Irrigation • Field Days

3/02/2014 11:39 am

MAGNUM: POWER YOU CAN DEPEND ON

 Exclusive Diesel Saver™ Automatic Productivity Management gives you up to 25 percent improvement in fuel economy and power performance  The spacious, ergonomic and quiet cab offers excellent visibility and four-way suspension provides ultimate operator comfort  Standard Multicontrol Armrest, designed with extensive farmer input, puts more than 85% of functions at your fingertips for simple, intuitive operation To ﬁnd out more, visit www.caseih.com or talk to your local Case IH dealer.

Finance from

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FOR THE WARRANTY AND SUPPORT YOU DESERVE, ALWAYS PURCHASE NEW CASE IH MACHINERY FROM AN AUTHORISED DEALER. DON’T BE TEMPTED BY GREY IMPORTS! *Terms and conditions apply. Finance provided by CNH Capital Australia Pty Ltd only to approved business applicants. 2.99% p.a. rate subject to deposit amount and repayment schedule, available on new Case IH tractors ordered before 31st March 2014 and delivered by 30th June 2014. Some exclusions may apply. Talk to your Case IH dealer for more information.

JOU RNAL

Australasian Farmers’ & Dealers’ Journal

A US T R A L A S I A N FA R MER S ’ & D E A L E R S ’

Established 1984 Publisher & Manager Editor Hartley Higgins General Manager Elizabeth Bouzoudis Editorial Mandy Parry-Jones Email: edit.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au Advertising Manager Sheryl Braden Ph: (07) 5523 9771 Mb: 0438 877 072 Email: s.braden@ryanmediapl.com.au Production Luke Westle Email: prod.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au Nathan Grant Email: prod.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au Circulation Email: admin.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au Subscription One year subscription within Australia: $33 (inc GST) for four issues, Overseas: $66 (inc GST) for four issues. Phone Cathy Johnson (03) 9888 4822 or email to subscribe: admin.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au Printing Lane Print & Post Adelaide, South Australia

Two issues are highlighted in this February edition. One is obvious for the start of the New Year; it's the state of sales and the market for machinery. It's a look backwards to what happened in 2013 and a bit of crystal ball gazing for 2014. Richard Lewis' TMA column covers the Australasian market. And we also look at the gobal and European markets plus provide information about where more indepth information about these vital markets can be found. There are many reputable research companies that will provide, for a price, indepth analysis of the machinery markets and manufacturers. These can be valuable resources for the astute machinery supplier. The other area of importance came to light due to the overwhelming number of calls and information submitted to AFDJ during January regarding education. We understand how important it is to gain a high level of education for the industry. However education has become a talked about subject across the many facets of the industry.

Universities, TAFEs, colleges, high schools, industry associations and government are identifying what has been sadly lacking in our education system. Somewhere along the line Australian education lost focus. There was, and remains, a lack of students studying agriculture. But not only that, the subjects and courses that will promote work in our industry were not there. Now there are a number of institutions promoting courses and degrees which are innovative, practical and may just have the right 'oompf' to inspire a new generation. We will have to see if these education offerings extends to courses for the agricultural machinery industry. Courses are needed to train our future agricultural engineers, mechanics and fabricators, and our marketing and sales people. It's time that our industry was recognised for what it is – a highly specialised industry to move Australia forward into a bright economic future. Mandy Parry-Jones, Editor. edit.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au

Ryan Media Pty Ltd ABN 85 085 551 980 Suite 103, 486 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills, Victoria 3127 Phone: (03) 9888 4822

FeBRUARy 2014 JOURNAL

Fax: (03) 9888 4840

In this issue n w

o j.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’

RURAL mAchineRy, impLements, pARts, vehicLes And technoLogy

Email: admin.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au

Field Days Calendar........................26

WATER FOR LIFE A FUTURE FOR ALL

ISSN 1442-4983

Grow your business at the largest trade exhibition and conference dedicated to the irrigation industry in the Asia Pacific region.

Presented by:

Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor/ publishers; information is published in good faith and we do not accept

Future Farming................................23

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

2-6 June 2014 Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

Website: www.afdj.com.au

Conditions

Features

c o L in m e .a u

132-003 Irrigation Australia Full Pagev8.indd 1

Organised by:

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

3/02/2014 11:39 am

• Crop & Tillage • Fire Prevention • Water & Irrigation • Field Days

This issue’s cover: Irrigation Australia

Regulars

responsibility for damage which may arise from any possible inaccuracies.

News......................................4

Products...............................49

may be used in any other media

Finance.................................53

without prior consent of the publishers.

Dealer Dialogue....................54

Published by Ryan Media Pty Ltd.

My View................................55 TMA News............................56 Law Review..........................57

Irrigation Australia Conference & Exhibition 2014............................34 What’s New in Water & Irrigation.....40 What's New in Fire Prevention........43 What's New in Crop & Tillage..........44 What's New in Ag Bikes..................48

News - International machinery business updates Agritech global barometer of machinery sales released Agritech has released the business barometer public report on its survey on the worldwide situation of the agricultural machinery business. This was a survey conducted with senior management of the global agricultural machinery industry (85% manufacturers and 15% importers). It was project managed under the umbrella of a new global network for the agricultural machinery associations and industry – Agrievolution. Around 250 participants from Brazil, China, Western Europe (represented by CEMA), Japan, South Korea, Turkey and the United States were included. The survey covered areas such as: • general evaluation of the business • order intake • turnover • employmenent • delivery times • machinery stocks • farmers´ mood and economic conditions. Farmers around the world considered they were in a favourable situation for both dairy and arable crops and the conclusion was that profitability in the sector was high, though some regions still needed improvement. Specifically these were regions such

as Turkey and Korea. In Japan, Brazil and China government programs are considered to be very supportive for the machinery industry. Financing restraints were the issues facing farmers in Turkey, Brazil and some parts of Europe such as Italy and the Netherlands. On a business climate index around half the participants regarded their business to be good or very good. So the outlook remains positive, and this is based on higher order levels that have been achieved over the last months of 2013.

Kuhn acquires Montana Kuhn has signed an in-principal understanding for the acquisition of Montana Indústria de Máquinas, headquartered in Brazil. Montana is a manufacturer of selfpropelled sprayers and offers a wide range of 3-point mounted, trailed and mist blower sprayers. Recently, Montana used 4

its self-propelled expertise to enter the new and rapidly growing self-propelled fertilizer spreader market. The acquisition is subject to signing a definitive transaction agreement and to certain actions and approvals. Closing is expected to take place during the first half of 2014.

Montana’s self-propelled product offering strengthens Kuhn’s position, especially in the important large scale commercial farming sector in Brazil. It also brings additional knowledge and expertise that will advance Kuhn Group’s presence in the crop protection business. It also provides Kuhn with access to Argentina.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

Strong demand in Europe for machinery The agricultural business mood in Europe remains optimistic Europe remains the world’s largest producer of farm equipment. According to CEMA, Europe's agricultural machinery industry association, global production will now reach an all-time high. The association said that in the years 2012/2013 the market was once again a strong for agricultural machinery producers in Europe. This followed the positive trends from previous years with demand in 2013 high for most types of machinery. Rising global demand for farm equipment drove worldwide production of agricultural machinery in 2013 up to an all-time high of around 95 billion euros. Overall production levels are expected to remain high throughout 2014, notwithstanding a potential slight decrease. Globally, Europe remains the largest producer of agricultural machinery with a share of around 31% in global production, followed by North America (26.5%) and China (19%). Europe's production is still increasing and has reached record levels, yet Europe’s relative share in global production has dropped in the past years. This is due to the comparatively higher growth rates in the US and China. The product category with the highest sales volume is tractors. A total of almost 137,000 tractors were registered in 2013 in the nine CEMA member countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and UK). Looking at five key markets overall registrations only showed a small decrease (-0.5%) when compared with 2012, which was considered a good year. Demand in the largest market, France, increased by 3.3% while registrations in Germany, the second largest market,

remained virtually unchanged. With respect to other major markets, registrations in Italy decreased by only 1.7%, while the drop in the UK amounted to 9.9%. For 2014, manufacturers expect a small drop in overall demand. The 2013 figures also confirm the trend towards bigger tractors. While in 2009 23% of tractors sold had an engine with less than 50 horsepower, this share dropped to 14% in 2013. Last year was also a good year for sales of combine harvesters with demand remaining stable at high levels. Exceptionally strong demand was reported in France where sales increased significantly in 2013. However, this demand is expected to fall again in 2014. In the other major markets for combine harvesters such as Poland and Germany there were no significant shifts in demand. However, the market in the UK showed a considerable decrease. With the forage harvester market having experienced an exceptionally good year in 2012, especially due to

strong demand in Germany, sales in 2013 returned again to normal levels in most markets and the expectation is that these will be reached again in 2014. Sales for soil-working equipment and seed drills were even higher than during the peak in 2012. Demand for plant protection equipment was relatively high in the past two years in Germany. In Belgium and the UK demand remained stable. The expectation for 2014 is that in Germany demand will return to normal levels. For mineral fertiliser spreaders the market appears not to have had the same positive trend as in other product groups. Demand is at a medium level and was lower last year than in 2012. Milking systems saw a small increase in demand in 2013, which was combined with the continued trend towards more automated systems. Overall the business mood within the industry remains optimistic.

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

Agrifac premiers new product at Agritechnica The Agrifac Condor Endurance premiered at Agritechnica at an exclusive premiere party. The Condor Endurance is a self-propelled sprayer with an 8000 litre tank. The model shown at Agritechnica was equipped with a 54 meter long boom. Various adjustable track width settings make the Condor Endurance suitable for a wide range of crops. The 8000 litre tank makes it possible for it to work for longer periods and increases efficiency and capacity. The Endurance is equipped with a powerful 260/kW engine. In combination with the strong J-boom and the StabiloPlus

 The Condor Endurance sprayer has an 8000 litre tank.

New Holland Auto Command wins accolade New Holland’s new T8 Auto Command tractor won the Machine of the Year 2014 award at this year’s Agritechnica Show in Hanover, Germany. Judged by a committee of journalists from Europe’s machinery publications, the award aims to identify the models that have technological innovations that will provide immediate practical benefits for farmers. The T8.420 Auto Command tractor has exceptional infield performance in high speed cultivation tasks. The six-model T8 Series has outputs from 205kW to 314kW and is powered by the ECOBlue SCR Cursor 9 engines. The Auto Command transmission uses intuitive forcebased logic and is controlled via an ergonomic Command Grip handle. When in auto mode the operator selects the desired working speed and Auto Command adjusts the engine speed and transmission settings. 6

chassis it is possible to work at high spraying speeds. The high road speed of 50 km/h also ensures a high capacity. Agrifac also showcased other new products at Agritechnica including its exxact sugar beet harvesters; Optitraxx and HexxTraxx. The machines were together with HOLMER exxact machinery on the exxact booth. Agrifac and Holmer produce sugar beet harvesters under the exxact range. The new HexxTraxx 12-row harvester was displayed for the first time to the public at Agritechnica.

 The sugar beet harvester was with other HOLMER exxact machinery on the exxact booth.

 The interior of the New Holland T8 Auto Command tractor.

 Agritechnica is one of Europe’s premier events for the agricultural machinery industry.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

Plimsoll evaluates the top 400 machinery companies Plimsoll’s Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers’ (Global) analysis 2013 evaluates the performance of the largest 400 agricultural machinery companies. The report is split into two sections and uses written and graphical analysis.    The first section looks in depth at the market and includes:    • best trading partners: these are companies that are winning in both sales and financial strength – for example Fella Werke Gmbh has been ranked as a best trading partner in the industry.  • sales growth analysis: this section reviews the fastest growing and fastest shrinking company – for example Gesellschaft Mit Deschrankter Haftung Big Dutchman is among the fastest growing.   • profit analysis: analysis of gross profit and pre-tax profit over the last 10 years and a profitability summary comparing profits in the industry

against small, medium and large companies.  • market size: based on the largest 400 companies, this is a comparison between last year’s market size and the most current figures.   • rankings: the top 50 companies ranked by: Market share, sales growth, gross profit and pre-tax profit.    Another section focuses on indepth company analysis, with each business analysed using Plimsoll’s model, and culminates in the production of the Plimsoll chart. The Plimsoll model uses charts to analyse a company and measure its ability to achieve sales growth while maintaining financial strength.    This chart is a quick and dependable method of analysing a company’s financial wellbeing. It is simple to understand: a rising line is good news and a falling line is bad news.    So it will tell you plainly if a company is:

• s trong or heading for failure  •u tilising their investments  • b ecoming burdened by debt  • g etting the most from their resources. The report, which is in English, includes information on financial trends over the past four years and helps to: • r ecognize market leaders  • i dentify companies heading for failure  • s eek out the most attractive acquisition  • a nalyse industry trends  • b enchmark a financial performance. This report shows 47 companies that have a declining Plimsoll financial rating, while 109 had good sales growth. Each of the largest 400 companies has a one-page individual assessment and is analysed using the most up-to-date financial data. For more information on how to purchase the report visit www.plimsollglobal.com

Versatile tractors released for 2014 PFG Australia, and Independent tractor and machinery importer in Australia, has released new Versatile tractor models onto the Australian market. Versatile is a division of Buhler Industries,

 The new Versatile DeltaTrack. 8

the only Canadian manufacturer of agricultural tractors.  The new range includes a front wheel assist series, 4WD standard and large frame articulated models and the large

frame articulated DeltaTrack series. All the articulated models have Cummins engines with Tier 3 emissions control and Caterpillar transmissions. The front wheel assist row crop tractors range from 202 to 240 kW(270-320 hp) and the articulated 4WD models range from 296kW to 465kW (395-620hp). Versatile DeltaTrack is a fully integrated purpose-built four track series from 345kW to 465kW (460-620hp). The Versatile DeltaTrack is a fully integrated purpose-built four-track system. Available in four models, 460DT, 520DT, 570DT and 620DT, the DeltaTrack uses the proven Versatile outboard planetary system to maximize power to the ground. Four independent tracks maintain balance and provide constant contact with the ground. Stock of the new tractors is already arriving in Australia.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

NEWS BRIEFS Airtex adds to product line-up for 2014

Airtex,TRAX Kawasaki Tools serves rural Australia through more than 500 retail outlets and has more than 100 new stock lines including tools for rural industries. A new catalogue in hard copy and available online will be available by mid April but until that time email enquiries@traxtools.com.au for more information.

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New director general for Ag

The NSW Primary Industries Ministerial appointment of Scott Hansen to the position of director general of the Department of Primary Industries was welcomed by the NSW Farmers Association. The association believes Hansen has an impressive record and knowledge of agriculture.

Ag leaders in Indian summit

More than 100 global agriculture machinery manufacturers, government officials and other industry leaders participated in the Agrievolution Alliance Summit in New Delhi, India in December. The alliance holds a global summit about every 18 months and this was the fourth World Summit on agricultural machinery. Attendees heard that increased mechanization for productivity is vital in countries such as India. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) that has an indirect membership of more than 2,500,000 companies hosted the summit. Chair of the Agrievolution Alliance was Alain Savary, the general manager of the French machinery association, AXEMA.

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COR Cooling moves to bigger premises

COR Coolingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Toronto New South Wales branch has relocated to larger facilities at Thornton, New South Wales. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new location enables us to offer customers fast turn around times while the larger floor area provides capacity for the business to grow,â&#x20AC;? said CORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NSW state manager Andrew Carter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have also installed a range of new equipment in the facility which enables us to provide an increased range of services to our customers,â&#x20AC;? he said. COR Coolingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services include on and off-site repair and maintenance along with supply of engine cooling systems, radiators, transmissions, oil coolers and Dura-Lite charge air coolers.

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FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; & DEALERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; JOURNAL

Detailed information at new Brown Brothers website Brown Brothers Engineers' website has been redesigned to become a more informative and user-friendly source of information. It now features extensive product information, enhanced search functionality and access to a variety of improved selection tools. The site has extensive product information to help understand the complete range of pumping solutions. Technical data, catalogues, videos and application case studies work together to provide a detailed overview of the company's capabilities across sectors including agricultural and irrigation. The website has been designed using the latest technology so it is compatible with today’s browsers and mobile devices without the need for Adobe Flash. Using the ‘Brand’ function or the ‘Application’ function users can simply and intelligently search for pumps by brand or industry application. The site also has a user-friendly ‘Search’ function for results based on key word searches. Along with a wide range of pump product resources, a number of key pump brands have product selection tools to access. Brands featured include Lowara, Goulds Water Technology, Flygt, Vogel and Pioneer Pumps. An improvement means users now benefit from richer online

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 The home page for Brown Brothers’ new website. content, assisting the specification process. This was a result of talking with customers and gaining feedback. Visitors can stay informed with a news section that features the latest announcements, product inventions and case studies from industry applications. “The new website offers a range of tools to help visitors select, compare and apply pump products online,” said John Inkster, CEO for Brown Brothers Engineers Australia and New Zealand. “We have invested considerable time into making the website as user-friendly and satisfying as possible. “The result is a site that is clean, with improved functionality and content to ensure that the most relevant information and tools are offered for our target audiences, which range from contractors, consultants, dealers/resellers, engineers and home owners.” Visit the new website at www.brownbros.com.au

Petlas among top 100 Turkish exporters According to Turkish Exporters Assembly data PETLAS is now part of the 100 exporters list and the company says it is now aiming to be in the top 50 exporters. PETLAS is one of the biggest exporters and manufacturers of agricultural tyres and has been exporting to more than 110 countries all over the world. The company has established itself in the US as well as South America, Europe and Russia. Recently the company unveiled the newest addition to its family, its truck and bus radial tyres that became available for worldwide sale in October 2013. Production capacity is expected to reach approximately 80,000 units per month by the end of 2014. These tyres join a product line for off-highway equipment in agricultural, earthmoving, construction, passenger, light and heavy truck, 4X4 and winter applications.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

Lowara has an extensive range of pumps and pressure systems suitable for the man on the land. Stock Water Supply

Boosting Water Supply

Irrigation Water Supply

Household Water Supply

Reliable, high performance, quality materials, and the widespread Lowara support network make these pumps an ideal selection for rural water supply systems.

eliability, flexibility and savings were paramount in our brief to find the correct pump set. Brown Brothers Engineers have a proven track record in all these areas, our decision was quite an easy one.

The system has proven to be all it promised and more with all areas now irrigated with consistent pressures and uniformity; our irrigation window has decreased also even with the Greens now on the same cycle as the tees, fairways and approaches. I have no hesitation in recommending Lowara or Hydrovar as your next pump set. - Mark Jennings, Box Hill Golf Club, Victoria

Contact your local Lowara dealer about supplying your next pump and water supply system. Melbourne Sydney Brisbane (03) 9793 9999 (02) 9671 3666 (07) 3200 6488

10/12

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Christchurch Auckland (03) 365 0279 (09) 525 8282

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DELIVERING PUMPING SOLUTIONS

New Kuhn global CEO from the US The Kuhn Group, a leader in the field of hay and forage, livestock and crop production, announced that Michel Siebert will retire at the end of September 2014. Thierry Krier, long-term president and CEO of Kuhn North America, will succeed him as president of Kuhn Group effective 1 October 2014. Siebert has served Kuhn for more than 30 years, including 15 as president and CEO. Under his leadership Kuhn was able to develop from a successful French company to a global enterprise.

The company now employs 4500 people, operates nine production sites in Europe, and North and South America, as well as 11 marketing and distribution companies on all five continents. Following four years spent in Saverne, France, Krier transferred to the United States in 1994 to lead the North American team. Krier will be based at Kuhn’s headquarters in France from the first of April 2014. He will hand over the leadership of Kuhn North America to Greg Petras.

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NEWS BRIEFS Korea free trade

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that Australia will sign a free trade agreement with Korea – providing millions of dollars in export value including for red meat, grains, dairy, sugar, pork and horticulture. Korea is Asia’s fourth largest economy and Australia’s third largest export market, with an AUD$30 billion two-way trade underway.

SKF new ag products

SKF showcased new products at Agritechnica 2013. The SKF CE double row angular contact ball bearing is available in 32 and 33 series from 20 to 50mm bore diameter for applications like pulleys, fan hubs, seeding planters and disc harrows. The SKF Agri Hub for slurry fertiliser injector has been optimised with corrosion resistance for extended service life in the harsh, corrosive slurry injector environment. The Lincoln 18-volt PowerLuber grease gun with lithium-ion battery features an LCD display with grease dispensed, cartridge level, charge level.

South African machinery sales

Forecasts for agricultural equipment sales in South Africa for this year point to a difficult year for dealers. The South African Agricultural Machinery Association said that tractor sales in 2013 were about 5% down on total sales in 2012. Combine harvester sales were up 3%. According to the association sales for the 2014 calendar year indicate that tractor sales are likely to be flat or up to 10% lower compared with 2013 sales.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

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What’s New - Making News NZ TracMap GPS for Australian tomatoes Dunedin-based GPS mapping company TracMap has signed a supply agreement with one of Australia’s largest tomato growers. Kagome Foods, owned by Japan’s Kagome Group, will use TracMap systems to improve harvest efficiency and reduce risk of quality errors. National sales manager Lance Nuttall was excited about this significant expansion into process crops, seeing the sale to Kagome as the first of many. “We are already supplying a similar system into viticulture so this is quite a simple and logical extension of what we already do for grape harvesting,” he said. Nuttall believed the key to TracMap’s success and rapid growth was how easy the system was to use for busy people, working under pressure. ‘’We operate in a unique niche. Our customers are operating vehicles in demanding situations and need systems that do what they want but don’t distract the driver from operating their machine.’’ mcdougall weldments remade:Layout 1

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Kagome has 11 harvesters operating 24 hours a day for more than two months. With 2100ha of crop spread over a 150km range, logistics was a big issue, field operations general manager Jason Fritsch said. The main benefits of the TracMap system were the accurate capture of yields as they were happening and accurate recording of the areas harvested. “We have been looking for a system that can supply the efficiency and quality assurance improvements we wanted for three years now,” Fritsch said. “The TracMap system allows us to better track from field to factory without the same level of paperwork and human involvement, which reduces costs and potential for errors.” The systems will be initially installed on the harvesters to task them to the correct fields, as well as capture row weights, and match loaded bins to the correct varieties and fields. Later they will be installed on sprayers and other equipment, to provide better tasking and tracking of crop treatments.

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Fed Farmers CEO leaving

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Federated Farmers chief executive officer Conor English announced that he would be resigning from the Federation, effective 23 July 2014. “After a great Christmas break and a great deal of thought, I have decided it is time for me to move on and do other things. There are many opportunities out there that I would now like to pursue,” English said. “In July this year, I would have been at Federated Farmers for six years as chief executive officer, which, I believe, is a good length of time. Along with the almost three and a half years I worked at Feds in the 1990s, my total time at Feds is almost 10 years! “I am very proud of what the whole Federated Farmers team has achieved over that time. “2014 will be a year of change and excitement for me.” The president of Federated Farmers, Bruce Wills, commented: “We have reluctantly accepted Conor’s resignation and appreciate him giving us six months notice of his departure to enable a smooth transition to a new chief executive.” “This year is a big year for Federated Farmers with both our own internal board elections and of course the general election. “On behalf of the board, I would like to sincerely thank Conor for all his efforts. I do note that he is not leaving just yet and it will be business as usual in the meantime. “We will take the opportunity to mark the occasion in an appropriate way closer to his departure,” Wills said.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

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As a global company we understand the unique logistics need of the industry. Our expertise can be assured as we operate 11 inland terminals handling more than 3.5 million units per annum. Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) spcialise in rolling and static equipment including Agricultural product such as combine harvesters, tractors and farming equipment.

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Brendale: +61 7 3881 0377

Laverton: +61 3 8345 8300

Kewdale: +61 8 9353 6000

Kiwi SMEs confident over Aussies This will be a strong year especially for New Zealand SMEs, who expect to back up their 2013 performance and outpace their Australian counterparts. Kiwis are growing confident as the Australasian dollar grows closer to parity. According to an analysis by the Australian accounting software provider MYOB, New Zealand SMEs are expecting to outperform Australia across a number of key measures, including revenue expectations and sector growth, with Australian SMEs expecting to see more revenue growth in 2014. “In 2014, both countries enjoy the prospect of improving economic conditions. [In Australia] businesses more optimistic about growth in the year to August 2014 than they were in the previous 12 months, but the opportunities are probably at least six to 12 months behind where New Zealand sits,” said MYOB CEO Tim Reed. “In New Zealand ... the rural sector’s performance is underpinning what will

likely be one of the most significant and sustained periods of growth in the country’s recent history.” In the year to August 2013, 39% of Australian SMEs reported a fall in revenue and 18% recorded an increase. By contrast, 30% of New Zealand SMEs reported a revenue rise in the year to August 2013, while 24% saw their revenues decline. One quarter of Australian SMEs expect to see revenue improve in the 12 months to August 2014, while 22% believe it will be down. New Zealand’s expectations are almost double, with 43% forecasting an increase in revenue in 2014 and just 10% a decline. “New Zealand’s ... manufacturing and rural sectors are all expecting to outperform Australia,” said Reed. “Despite the challenges and pressures both countries face, SME operators have proven themselves to be continually resourceful and resilient.

NEWS BRIEFS Rural election manifesto

Bruce Wills, NZ Federated Farmers president should be appreciated Labour Party leader David Cunliffe including the primary industries in his State of the Nation speech in New Zealand. “Federated Farmers is developing an election year manifesto encapsulating our policy objectives and priorities to take New Zealand agriculture forward," said Wills. “Over 70% of New Zealand’s merchandise exports come from the primary industries, which, in turn, employ over 138,000 New Zealanders.”

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

New Zealand's economic report card The New Zealand government’s half year economic and fiscal update report showed a faster growing economy with agriculture well on its way to doubling exports by 2025. “We have long advocated for economic restraint, and it is great to see the NZ$86 million surplus forecast for 2014/15 is up ever so slightly on the surplus forecast in May,” said Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers president. “Agriculture has had a great start, with the tradable sector growing 11.1% since 2009 compared with nontradeables up 6.6%, however, resource, pressures are growing and next year we will likely see a tightening of monetary policy to dampen inflation. “Farmers and exporters will need the government to keep spending and debt under control in order to take the pressure off interest rates and the

exchange rate. “Surpluses are looking healthier with a NZ$5.6 billion projected surplus for 2017/18. This will put the Government in a better position to reduce its debt, which is forecast to peak at NZ$64.5 billion in 2015/16. “Leading into an election year, the Government and opposition parties will need to do their bit by committing to responsible fiscal policy," said Wills. “The last thing we need is for politicians to spend the surplus before it arrives. “This is the kind of news you want after a challenging few years. “Federated Farmers continues to support the government in its efforts to keep spending under control and its aim to rebalance the economy towards sectors that compete internationally,” said Wills.

Machinery auction

Circle Auctions is holding a sale of new and used farm machinery at the CIAAS Harvest Centre in Ashburton New Zealand on 12 March at 11am. The auction will have near-new tractors, JCB loaders, combines, foragers and telehandlers. One vendor is a hire company retiring assets. The auction will be run in the traditional attend, view, test and bid in person method but it also allows bidders to buy via live online streaming with auction software. For more information visit www. circleauctions.co.nz

LuK tractor clutches: Every field should have one.

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Heavy soil, heavy weights to pull, steep fields, various agricultural machinery – LuK‘s broad spectrum of tractor clutches not only covers all tractor models but also every imaginable use. In addition, LuK offers numerous solutions for torsion damping in the drive train. Here LuK has been the leader in innovation for years.

With a LuK tractor product you get it all: performance, durability and comfort in all operating conditions. For further information please contact: Phone: +61 (2) 8977 1038 Fax: +61 (2) 9452 4242 Email: LuK-AS.au@Schaeffler.com

S c h a e f f l e r A u s t r a l i a P t y. L t d . | A u t o m o t i v e A f t e r m a r k e t | P O B o x 2 3 4 | F o r e s t v i l l e N S W 2 0 8 7 | A u s t r a l i a

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30.09.2008 12:15:49 Uhr

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

news - Agricultural education Workforce study – agriculture needs skilled workers Australia’s agricultural future lies with the young and educated. Studies have shown this time and again, and now educational institutions in major centres are leading the way in attracting and inspiring tomorrow's farmers. The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed the release of the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency’s (AWPA’s) Food and Beverage Workforce Study, that found agricultural needs more highly skilled workers. “The AWPA report adds weight to what the NFF has been saying – that our sector as a whole needs more skilled workers, and that achieving this will require greater collaboration across the entire education and agricultural industries,” said NFF CEO Matt Linnegar. The lack of skilled workers in

agriculture and across the wider sector emerged as one of the key issues facing the industry, according to the NFF-led and industrydeveloped Blueprint for Australian Agriculture – an issue that requires action today to ensure our sector can continue to grow into the future. “The NFF has long called for a body that can oversee the entire education and careers pathway area – from teaching primary school students about agriculture, to developing interest in agricultural careers as students reach high school, to providing education, training and

Agricultural Clutch Systems and Components

development opportunities for people as they progress into, and along, their careers,” Linnegar said. “We welcome one of the key recommendations from the AWPA report, which is to develop a national co-ordinating body for driving industry workforce development. “We will be working closely ... as it is developed, ensuring close integration between it and the NFF’s National Workforce Development Plan.” Other key recommendations include encouraging employers to invest in training, and increasing industryinvolvement.

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

Two providers make a better ag course in Melbourne Melbourne Polytechnic is the new education provider for affordable degrees in agriculture and tecnology. La Trobe University and the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT) in Melbourne, Victoria will join to provide practical and classroom based education. The new Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology will be delivered from NMIT’s Epping campus in 2014 and use NMIT’s Green Skills Centre plus agricultural facilities at its Yan Yean training farm and Eden Park vineyard. This is the first course offered under the partnership between NMIT and La Trobe under the banner of Melbourne Polytechnic. Graduates of the Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology will have their degree conferred by La Trobe University. There will be 100 Commonwealth

Supported Places and the student contribution for the new degree is approximately 5% less per year than in comparable agriculture courses taught by Australian universities for Australian students. “Melbourne Polytechnic is a game changing opportunity to provide more effective, efficient and responsive higher education courses like the Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology,” said Professor John Dewar, Vice Chancellor of La Trobe University. Agribusiness, including farming and food processing makes up 12% of the Australian economy but there are significant workforce shortages in skilled labour. The Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology degree is designed to contribute to the development

of a professional workforce in agriculture. “The new degree will focus on industry needs and applied skills in agriculture and technology. It will be delivered at state-of-the-art facilities in partnership with industry. We have worked hard to make the degree attractive and affordable for students,” said Dr Andy Giddy, NMIT CEO. The Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology at Melbourne Polytechnic aims to prepare creative graduates who are ‘work ready’ for exciting careers in agriculture. The degree focuses on meeting industry needs with a highly applied focus and significant work integrated learning on real projects and real farms with real agricultural technologies.

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

UNE has a degree of practical work All those years spent balancing farm budgets or marketing grain or cattle could count towards the University of New England’s new Bachelor of Agrifood Systems degree, which requires students to get to work down on the farm before they get a degree. Starting in early 2014, the course is part of a ground-breaking new UNETAFE New England joint partnership delivering study ‘in the field’ rather than just in the classroom, with work experience and completion of industry training being recognised as prior learning to fast track the study program. Course co-ordinator Michael Williams said it’s a common story that many people working in the Ag sector have a long history of work experience and knowledge gained in practical management but no formal recognition for those skills.

“UNE has addressed that challenge by developing a course with TAFE New England which enables people already working in the agriculture sector to convert their on-the-job experience into credit towards a Bachelor of Agrifood Systems, majoring in livestock, cropping, horticulture or poultry production.” Williams said practical experience is a mandatory requirement to complete the qualification. “The two year Associate Degree and three year Bachelor courses are designed for the farm employee, the poultry worker, the cotton field manager to complete their studies ‘in-their-field’, at home on the computer and in the paddock, combining their hands-on experience with the technical knowledge covered in UNE’s agriculture units," Williams said.

NFF seeks survey support

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) is encouraging Australian farmers to head online and complete the Farm Sector Employment Survey, which was released to help build an accurate picture of the employment challenges facing the farm sector. The survey forms a critical component of the Agricultural Workforce Development Plan, a joint government-industry initiative, and will provide valuable data on the key employment issues affecting the farm sector. The more responses the more valuable the survey. www.surveymonkey.com/s/VHLGMHF

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

Future Farming Telehandlers achieve acceptance on Australian farms More and more machinery implements are finding favour with farmers in Australia. Likewise Australian farmers are becoming inventors of machinery to suit our needs. David Palmer describes one imported implement in vogue and the evolution of an Australian machine. British-based JCB claims it pioneered telescopic handlers in the late 1970s, just as it did for backhoes when company founder John Cyril Bamford built a successful backhoe in the early 1950s. In fact another British company, Sanderson, which has since gone out of business, was the originator of the concept, again in the late 1970s. In terms of the number of telehandler models JCB sells in Australia, it is with 14, in number four position with its largest, the 550-40 capable of lifting 4.5t to a height of 10.858m. Manitou leads the models-available league with 25, followed by Dieci and Merlo with 22 each and Faresin with 20. Manitou and JCB claim to be the market leaders in Australia with 70% between them. The other main players are Bobcat (12 models), Haulotte (eight), Caterpillar (seven) and New Holland and Schaffer (four each). Because of their ability to reach and lift considerable distances – Manitou has a telehandler available in South Africa which will lift 40t to 13m, - and in many cases do the job of a crane, - the construction and mining sector is a major consumer of telehandlers. However, when Caterpillar imported its first telehandlers about a dozen years ago, the entire shipment was snapped up by the agricultural sector. Their widespread use in agriculture has more or less coincided with increased production of large round and particularly large square hay bales. Front end loaders, despite being towers and not pushers, do the work in many cases, but they are far from perfect for handling the really big bales; a

 A Manitou 840-137 PS spreads and compacts silage in a clamp. telehandler is a much safer and more versatile option given their reach. Manitou Australia’s commercial manager Stuart Walker said Manitou has been exhibiting at agricultural field days for 15 years – Dieci started here about the same time - and for a number of years after they started, farmers often told him it would be impossible to justify their use on farms. The reality though is that are being used for building dams, roads, fences and using front mounted trenchers. At least one has a tree shaker attached to harvest olives and another uses several large circular saws to prune almond trees on the Murray River, he said. But handling hay is a favourite in the most popular 2.6 to 4t load capacity agricultural telehandlers and they often handle three 2.4 by 1.2 by 1.2m bales weighing 860kg each. And the relatively recent introduction of pickers forming round cotton bales weighing about 3t, has necessitated the introduction of telehandlers to effectively move them.

Dieci for example sells the Cotton Pro 70.10 TAH that was designed specifically for handling new round cotton bales. At the 2013 Henty Machinery field days, the Wallace family of Cowra, NSW, launched a telehandler/front end loader attachment called a Tuskam which lifts, turns and places hay or silage bales at ground level for unwrapping or twine cutting before safely loading them into a feed mixer or wagon. The farming family produced the units because conventional hayforks allow bales to fall apart while being lifted into a wagon. The Wallaces sold the first Tuskam off their Henty stand on the first day and three others to Colac, Vic and Henty and Tamworth, NSW, farmers over the two succeeding days. There appear to be few secondhand telehandlers available. In a recent publication listing thousands of secondhand tractors and other pieces of farm equipment for sale, only eight

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

 A Merlo TF 40.7 collects bales from a European corn field. telehandlers were pictured, with three of them being JCB Agri Supers and two being JCB Agri Plus machines. Greg Sealey, JCB’s telehandler product manager based in Brisbane, said the company’s telehandlers held about 35% of the world market and roughly equally with Manitou where he worked previously, about 70% of the Australian market. He said the market fluctuated between 750 and 950 units a year sold in Australia, which meant the company had sold about 6000 in the 20 years it has marketed telehandlers here. Sealey said JCB was the only

telehandler company to make all the components of its telehandlers including the engine, axles, frame and hydraulic cylinders. In fact it is the biggest manufacturer of hydraulic cylinders in Europe. Dieci claims its 4t capacity Haymaster 40.7 TAH PS, was the first telehandler designed for agricultural use with a rear mounted radiator. But Sealey said JCB was the first to have a hydraulically driven reversing fan to clear straw from telehandler radiators and was the first to make telehandlers with a top speed of 40km/hr.

 JCB’s Loadall 535 125 will lift a

maximum of 3.5t to a maximum height of 12.28m. It has a maximum reach of 8m.

Wimmera sale launched farmer into tractor making career Farmer James Nagorcka became a tractor manufacturer on the second day of the 1977 Wimmera Machinery field days at Horsham, when he sold for $30,000 a 113kW four-wheel drive tractor built in his farm workshop at Tarrington, near Hamilton. A Mallee farmer decided he wanted it and bought it on the spot. Nagorcka was so elated with the deal that he overlooked payment and had to be reminded by the farmer to collect his cheque. Then on the second day, he received an order for a second machine as well. After the field days, he hired a tradesman and they proceeded to make tractors to order. 24

Future Farming Production built steadily until they were producing 20 custom built four-wheel drive tractors a year from Waltanna’s Hamilton works. He had started in 1975 to build a tractor to use on the family farm and built a 150hp articulated four-wheel drive. Then in 1976 and 1977, he built a second machine, which he displayed and sold at the 1977 Wimmera Machinery field days. So began a 15-year period of making and marketing tractors and forestry machinery. Nagorcka said he made more than 200 tractors in Hamilton over that period and Waltanna was the last Australian made

tractor brand when it ceased production in 1991. The family continued to develop machinery for research and development purposes and built machines for companies such as John Deere, Agco, New Holland, Goodyear and Bridgestone among others and it contributed significantly to rubber track drive design for John Deere in the US. With the phasing out of tractor manufacturing in the late 1990s, Mr Nagorcka’s son Michael, who had been working with him and his wife June in that business, decided to return to farming. The Nagorcka family had been on the land in the Hamilton area since about 1857 and had grown flax seed, other winter crops

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

and fine wool sheep since James’ father purchased the property from other family members in 1943. They decided to get rid of their livestock because “three million crickets to the hectare in late summer and autumn every year,” made a mess of O ne of the  pasture production. Nagorcka’s Nagorcka said they flaxseed concentrated on products. winter crops with At 400g it sells for organic flax seed $12.95. as the lead money maker because in the last 50 years, scientists have shown substantial benefits of flaxseed for human health. They searched the world for a more appealing flax seed variety than the common or garden brown variety they had grown for years. “Then in 2002 I came across what I considered to be a very suitable strain of golden flax seed and I set about importing the seed through the appropriate government agencies,” Nagorcka said. Expecting to receive 500g to 1kg of seed from AQIS, Nagorcka was surprised to receive about half a match boxful from which to establish a commercial quantity. “I grew about half in a large pot but it took us about five years to generate a commercial quantity of seed.” They registered it as a variety and named it Waltanna Gold. “The seed has a very appealing colour, a pleasant nutty flavour with a an oil content of about 40% of which about 50% is made up of omega 3 fatty acids. “It has 21% protein, more than 28% dietary fibre and is gluten free too,” he said. Traditionally flax seed was sold as pressed oil and meal but the Nagorckas felt there was a real opportunity to expand the product range. “With that variety in hand, we invested heavily in [on farm] processing machinery to supply the health food industry with a

variety of high quality flax seed products.” Oil is expelled from the seed in a controlled and involved process, which keeps heat and pressure to a minimum and excludes oxygen and light. Processing continues around the clock for most of the year, Nagorcka said, with four permanent and three part time employees. A new automatic packing machine installed in early 2013 produces about 3t a week of 500g packs of flaxseed for Coles and Woolworths. Waltanna now also produces flax seed oil, golden flax seed oil with honey, called Golden Breakfast, and Golden Flaxseed oil with vinegar and roasted garlic, called Tuscan. Its other packaged products include rolled flaxseed, flaxseed flour, a textured flaxseed meal as well as what they call flax crumble. “No seed products leave the farm unless it is the best quality we can supply; quality is all important in achieving a premium price,” Nagorcka said. Currently Waltanna Farms is supplying about 90% of the Australian organic flaxseed market through bulk, bagged and bottled product. The value of the organic flaxseed is close to nine times the value of non-organic flaxseed at the farm gate. “Importantly though, the return on capital investment in the flaxseed factory, easily exceeds the percentage return on our farming investment,” he said. “Our ultimate aim is to remain viable with non-supermarket support”. Move to organics means better soil, higher food prices The Nagorckas are delighted with their decision in the late 1990s, to embrace organic practices. “We set about developing a business plan to maximise returns in a sustained and controllable program without further capital investment in more land,” Nagorcka said. Because they generally attract higher prices, they decided to produce crops, which could be sold for human consumption, and in order to do that in an environmentally sustainable way, they decided to try organic farming.

 Waltanna started making 122kW FW 25 and 145kW FW 35 tractors like this for Ford Australia in 1986. The ultimate in the FW series was the 300kW Caterpillar powered FW 400.

Soil tests then were not encouraging, indicating low fertility, a high degree of compaction and little available phosphorous or nitrogen because most of it was locked up and unavailable, he said. Nagorcka said becoming organic, required a huge shift in attitude and in farming methods, which did not include artificial fertilisers and/or chemicals. Ultimately a soil conditioner and plant growth enhancer they developed, comprising compost, lime, and a number of minerals and other additives, took them a long way towards their sustainably organic goal. He said, “We have been certified organic producers for the past 15 years and that has resulted in an increase in value of our farm produce. “We now have more phosphorous in our soils than at any other time in the last 15 years and have not applied super. “Organic matter has increased substantially due to retention and incorporation of most of our of stubble residues into the top 100 to 150mm”. Nagorcka said the farm does require mechanical cultivation, but only to the depth mentioned. Crops are harvested close to the ground and the stubble is finely chopped. After summer or autumn rain, the composted soil conditioner is spread and disced in with the stubble. Cropping sequence is via a varied rotation of wheat, oats, clover, flax and field peas, depending on seasons and the needs of the soil at the time.

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

2014 FIELD DAYS CALENDAR February 12-14 Sungold Field Days Contact: Louise Thomas At Allansford, about 12 km east of Warrnambool Ph: 03 5565 3142 E: sungoldfileddays@wcbf.com.au W: www.sungoldfielddays.com.au 14-16 Seymour Alternative Farming Expo Contact: Colin Stray Goulburn Valley Highway, Seymour, Vic Ph: 03 5799 1211 E: admin@seymor-expo.com W: www.seymour-expo.com 21-23 ActewAGL Royal Canberra Show Contact: Marketing Manager Exhibition Park, Canberra Ph: 02 6241 2478 E: marketing@rncas.org.au W: www.rncas.org.au

MARCH 4 King Island Show Contact: Tanya Arnold Currie Show grounds, Currie, Tas Ph: 03 6462 1346 E: tanya_arnold@bigpond.com W: www.ascti.com.au

4-6 Wimmera Machinery Field Days Contact: Murray Wilson Wimmera Events Centre at Longerenong near Horsham, Vic Ph: 03 5384 7210 E: info@wimmerafielddays.com.au W: www.wimmerafielddays.com.au 7-8 Wagin Woolorama Contact: Mandy Harrington West Australia Ph: 08 9861 2242 E: tradefair@woolorama.com.au W: www.woolorama.com.au

12-13 Central West Machinery Expo 108 Wingewarra Street Dubbo NSW 2830 Ph: 02 6882 4866 E: cwme@theland.com.au W: www.farmonline.com.au 21-22 South East Field Days Contact: Lyn Crosby Yakka Park, Lincoln, SA Ph: 08 8766 7001 E: sefds@bigpond.com W: www.southeastfielddays.com.au

27-30 Farm World Contact: Mark Cockerell Burnt Store Road, Lardner Park, Warragul, Vic Ph: 03 5626 1373 E: office@lardnerpark.com.au W: www.lardnerpark.com.au

MARCH/April 21-3 Sydney Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, NSW Ph: 02 970 1474 W: www.eastershow.com.au

April 4-5 Karoonda Farm Fair Karoonda South Australia Ph: 08 8538 2860 E: info@farmfair.com.au W: www.farmfair.com.au 5 The Weekly Times Rural Lifestyle Expo Cnr Creswick Road & Howitt Street, Wendouree, Vic Ph: 03 5338 1877 E: info@rurallifestyleexpo.org.au W: rurallifestyleexpo.org.au

10-23 Sydney Royal Easter Show Sydney Olympic Park Sydney NSW Ph: 02 9704 1111 W: www.eastershow.com.au

MAY 1-3 Agfest Field Days Contact: Carlee Lee Quercus Rural Youth Park, on Oaks Road between Carrick and Bracknell, TAS Ph: 03 6331 6154 E: admin@agfest.com.au W: www.agfest.com.au 2-4 Tocal Field Days Contact: Carol Cairney Tocal Agricultural College Tocal NSW Ph: 02 4939 8827 E: fielddays@tocal.com W: www.tocalfielddays.com 9-10 East Gippsland Field Days Contact: Peter Treasure Bairnsdale Aerodrome, Bairnsdale, Vic Ph: 03 5153 1398 Mob: 0427 878 645 E: info@egfielddays.com W: www.egfielddays.com 9-10 Riverina Field Days Contact: Ffiona Beverley Griffith Showgrounds, Griffith NSW Ph : (02) 6964 8811 E: riverinafielddays@bigpond.com W: www.riverinafielddays.com 23-24 Deni Innovations Expo Contact: Andrew Richardson Murray Valley Industry Park. Off Todd Road, Deniliquin. NSW Ph: 0407 503 978 W: www.deniinnovationsexpo.org.au

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

2014 FIELD DAYS CALENDAR

– F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

JUNE

August

3-5 Farmfest Field Days Kingsthorpe Park, on the Warrego Highway, 20 kms west of Toowoomba Ph: 02 6768 5800 E: farmfest@ruralpress.com.au W: www.farmfest.com.au

4-5 Sheepvention Hamilton Showgrounds, Hamilton, VIC Ph: 03 5572 2563 E: info@hamiltonshowgrounds.com.au W: www.sheepvention.com

11-14 New Zealand National Agric Field Days Mystery Creek Events Centre, 125 Mystery Creek Road, Hamilton, North Island, New Zealand Ph: +64 7 843 4499 W: www.fieldays.co.nz 19-21 Primax Primary Industry Exhibition Bruxner Highway, Casino, NSW Ph: 07 5531 4600 E: info@primex.net.au W: www.primex.net.au

JULY

6-7 Mallee Machinery Field Days Contact: Andrew McLean 2 km south of Speed on the Sunraysia Hwy, VIC Ph: 03 5084 1320 E: mmfd@bigpond.com W: www.mmfd.com.au 12-14 Eyre Peninsula Field Days Contact: Kathy Wedding Eyre Peninsula SA Ph: 08 8628 2219 E: secretary@eyrepeninsulafielddays.com.au W: www.eyrepeninsulafielddays.com.au

3 BCG Grains Research Expo Birchip P12 School, Campbell St. Birchip Ph: 03 5492 2787 E: info@bcq.org.au W: bcq.org.au

19-21 Commonwealth Bank AGQUIP Field Days 8 kilometres west of Gunnedah on Blackjack Road, Gunnedah NSW Ph: 02 6768 5800 E: agquip@ruralpress.com.au W: www.agquip.com.au

9-11 Ag-Grow Charters Towers Field Days Charters Towers, Qld Ph: 07 4982 4244 E: admin@aggrow.com.au W: www.charterstowersfielddays.com.au

27-28 Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days Dowerin, WA Ph: 08 9631 1021 E: info@dowerinfielddays.com.au W: www.dowerinfielddays.com.au

11-12 Mudgee Small Farm Field Days Mudgee, NSW Ph: 02 6372 3899 W: www.arec.com.au

september

18-20 Australian Wool and Sheep Show Contact: Andrew Ternouth Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Holmes Road, Bendigo, Vic Ph: 03 5439 5094 E: secretary@sheepshow.com W: www.sheepshow.com

2-4 Heritage Bank Ag Show Ph: Damon Phillips Toowoomba Showgrounds, Toowoomba, QLD Ph: 07 4634 1155 E: perwin@agshow.com W: www.agshow.com.au

3-4 Newdegate Machinery Field Days Contact: Anne Bishop Newdegate, WA Ph: 08 9871 1655 E: nfday@westnest.com.au W: www.nfday.com.au 19 Mingenew Expo Contact: Kym McGlinn Midlands Rd, Mingenew, WA Ph: 08 9928 1138 E: secretary@mingenewexpo.com.au W: www.mingenewexpo.com.au 19-20 Riverland Field Days Contact: Tim Grieger Sturt Highway (Short St) Barmera, SA Ph: 0409 099 122 E: fieldays@riverland.net.au W: www.riverlandfielddays.com.au 20 Sept - 1 Oct Royal Melbourne Show Melbourne Showgrounds Epsom Road Melbourne Ph: 03 9281 7444 E: customerservice@rasv.com.au W: www.royalshow.com.au 23-25 Henty Field Days Cookardinia Road Henty, NSW Ph: 02 6929 3305 E: hmfd@telstra.com W: www.hmfd.com.au 24-25 South Gippsland Dairy Expo Contact: Deane Kennedy Korumburra Showgrounds, cnr South Gippsland Hway & Charles St, Korumburra Ph: 0419 878 055 W: www.dairyexpo.org.au 27 Sept - 4 Oct Perth Royal Show Contact: Robin Bartlett Perth Showgrounds, Garlands Road, Claremont, WA Ph: 08 6263 3100 E: info@raswa.org.au W: www.perthroyalshow.com.au

Up-to-date comprehensive Field Days Events Calendar also available at www.afdj.com.au. FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

East Gippsland event caters for diverse environment East Gippsland encompasses a diverse range of agricultural and rural industries. It has agricultural holdings of some 750,000 hectares based around beef, wool, dairy, vegetables and cropping. It is showing a growth in emerging enterprises such as flower growing and viticulture, and has a strong hobby and part time farming population. The region is home to Australia’s largest fishing fleet, a major timber industry producing 25% of Victoria’s hardwood output, as well as expanding tourism, manufacturing and retail sectors. East Gippsland has significant equipment, product and service needs and so there are many good reasons to visit the agricultural show which has been running since 1986. More than 350 exhibitor spaces and other promotions will be featured at East Gippsland Field Days, with around 10,000 visitors – most of them on the lookout for new products, services and information. Show events: • Australia’s travelling fishing show • Jump ‘n’ Cuddle – calves, chooks, guinea pigs etc • food producers expo • crafts on show • gippsland Schools Cook Off – Friday • celebrity chef

 Every one is catered for including the kids. • Dahlsen’s Wood Chop Competition • East Gippsland farm dog trials • double decker bus • pony rides • historical cars • DSE burn table • Work Safe health checks • tall cranes, agricultural machinery and haulage equipment • cattle, goats, pigs and alpacas

 East Gippsland has a very diverse range of agricultural and rural industries.

• s olar panels, caravans and camping trailers. The show starts on Friday 9 May and is open from 9:00am – 4:30pm and on Saturday from 9:00am – 4:00pm. Adults are $17 each, with two day passes at $29, children under 15 years are $5 and those under five are free. A family pass is available (2 adults, 2 children) for $34.

 The two-day event allows visitors to cover every area of interest to them.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

Moving from midweek to weekend improves ANFD The ANFD National Field Days exhibitors and committee members were pleased with the crowd numbers on the first day of the ANFD for 2013. Moving to a Thursday, Friday and Saturday instead of the traditional mid-week format paid off with many exhibitors reporting strong crowds, sales and interest over the three days. Car parks were full and streets crowded from early on Saturday. Leigh Byron from Valton Feeding Systems said organisers of the ANFD had managed to attract a wide variety of farmers to the Field Days. “It has been excellent. Saturday has been another busy day for us,” said Byron. “We’ve moved a couple of spreaders and feeders. It has probably been more of the small hobby farmers here today rather than the bigger farmers we had earlier in the week. “Saturday is bringing in a different clientele, but that’s a good thing. Today we’ve had a lot of doctors, engineers, people like that with smaller farms.” ANFD chairman Robert Armstrong said the effectiveness of the new Thursday, Friday and Saturday format would be evaluated following the event. “After last year’s Field Days we had a huge unsolicited response from exhibitors and

the public saying we needed to change to a weekend format. This is especially for farmers who work 9-5 day jobs but also have farming enterprises,” said Armstrong. Awards were presented during the ANFD opening ceremony: • the Western Institute of TAFE Ivan Kingham Scholarship was presented to Sarah Mary Hall, an agriculture and stock and station agent student; • the award for a young leader in agriculture was presented to Charles Sturt University horticulture student Christopher O’Connor; • a new award for the best ANFD advertising and promotion went to Orange Mitsubishi for their field days “traffic report” advertisement; • the award for best local exhibit was presented to The Rural Centre; • the award for best agricultural exhibit was presented to Red River Rural from Tamworth. The event was also a showcase for new inventions to take the agricultural world by storm in the future. Winners of The Land and NSW Farmers’ Association 2013 Inventor of the Year Competition were announced, with equal third prize to Sam Johnston from Forbes for the Johnston Multi-Hitch and Harrison Clifton from Corowa for the Ewe Lift.

Both winning designs were originally made as Year 12 Design and Technology projects. Second prize went to Jeff and Eddie Munns from Beacon, WA with the Fence Faster. Victorian Peter Cocciardi was awarded first prize for the Cocky Flow Regulator Valve. His invention has irrigation applications and has already been taken up by Murrumbidgee Irrigation as a measure to deal with the increased pressure when open channels are converted to pipes. “It’s a very difficult process to get prototypes out and show people,” said Cocciardi. “Without days like this and competitions like this it makes that process much harder. We as inventors aren’t just crackpots in a shed. We see a problem and we think about the market for it. “This is not a big irrigation area but I have had people in irrigation come over to have a look. There are a lot of people who are just curious.” Orange’s 2011 Masterchef winner Kate Bracks opened the 63rd Australian National Field Days (AFND) with a reminder of the importance of primary producers to the local and national economy. Kate was chosen to open the ANFD because of her passionate interest in food and the people who produce it.

Barossa's largest field day is at Kapunda The Kapunda Farm Fair is the largest field day in the Barossa region. This year it is on 11-12 April. This biennial event showcases agriculture, viticulture, horticulture, information technology, lifestyle, clothing, animals, machinery, vintage tractors, children’s entertainment, fashion parades, food and beverages, and has general interest displays. The 2012 event was the most successful since they began in 1999. South Australia has experienced a near record 2013 harvest this season and it

is anticipated that this will reflect in sales across the board. A big strength of Kapunda lies in its geographical location, only 77kms from the Adelaide, a onehour drive from Gepps Cross, only minutes to the Barossa Valley, an hour from the Clare Valley and a short distance to the Adelaide Plains and Adelaide Hills. The event is at the Kapunda Harness Racing Complex, Hancock Road, Kapunda. Admission for adults is $10, children 5 to 15-years-old $2.

 SA's record harvest will be great for the Kapunda Farm Fair and it is hoped it will mean the event will top the one held in 2012.

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

Wimmera Field Days - major event since 1963 Wimmera Machinery Field Days have been held each year since 1963, always in the first week of March at Longerenong near Horsham in western Victoria. These field days have become one of Australia’s largest agricultural and agribusiness trade and industry shows, as well as being the first major field days on the rural Australian calendar. Along with being Victoria’s oldest field days event it is also one of Australia’s largest broadacre agricultural machinery focused events. This is a modern showcase of the latest developments in machinery equipment, technology and services. A volunteer committee consisting of farmers and regional agribusiness representatives combine to manage the not-for-profit event each year. The committee has maintained a long-

 Wimmera Machinery Field Days is Victoria's oldest field days event. term charter to foster innovation and development in primary production and agribusiness. The Wimmera Machinery Field Days attracts tens of thousands of visitors and exhibitors from across the country as well as from overseas, and generates millions of dollars in trade across a broad cross section of agricultural industry and rural business.

Conservative estimates suggest the three days generate over $50 million in direct trade and there is over $200 million dollars of machinery and rural equipment on display. Large scale agriculture trade shows such as this provide a distinctive forum for people and business to gather and discuss farm-technology and new developments, create networks, socialise, rekindle

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N friendships and business relationships, and stay in touch with industry advances. The Wimmera Machinery Field Days is an event for the people and for the regions major industry helping to grow and secure agriculture into the future. Special activities over the three days of the show include the Celebrity Chef Cooking

Shows held in the auditorium at Country Gourmet Pavilion. There’s also the field days fashion parade  ’Students on Show’ on from 2pm-3pm every day. This is presented by the Horsham College in the auditorium, with entry through the Country Gourmet Pavilion. Young kids have lots to do as well with

free train rides, an animal farm, a toddlers’ activities tent as well as giveaways and competitions. The 52nd Annual Wimmera Machinery Field Days are on from 4-6 March, open from 8.30am-5pm. Tickets are $18 for adults or $5 for 12-18 year olds (secondary student) $5.00, and childs under 12 are free.

Dubbo's successful 2013 machinery expo leads to a second event The second Central West Machinery Expo is on at the Dubbo Showgrounds from 1213 March, following the success of the first event which was held last year. It promises to have everything from big ticket farm equipment through to tools and smaller supplies. Established in 2013, the Central West Machinery Expo came as a result of calls from the public to engender new interest and reinvigorate the NSW Field Days circuit.

The culmination of that year’s planning saw close to 80 exhibitors make their way to Dubbo with more than 100 trade sites on display. With a focus on the needs of primary producers, the event was a calculated leap of faith for its backers who saw the growth potential for business and Dubbo. Sponsorship for the event came from State Wide Sheds, HE Silos, Spitwater, National Stockyards System, Chesterfield Australia and Tools4industry.

In 2014 the event sees all 2013 commercial partners back on board, along with broadcast sponsors 2DU and ZooFM and media partners WIN television. This year’s Expo will again feature a mid-week format with extended hours on the first day of the event to cater for the local audience. Entry is free. Day 1 - Wednesday, March 12 - 10am to 9pm. Day 2 - Thursday, March 13 - 9am to 4pm.

52nd Annual

Machinery

4,5,6 MARCH 2014

You are invited to Australia’s premier farming machinery and country lifestyle event Wimmera Machinery Field Days Inc. Longerenong via Horsham Victoria Australia

Phone: 03 5384 7210 Fax: 03 5384 7276 Email: info@wimmeraﬁelddays.com.au

www.wimmeraﬁelddays.com.au

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

2 8 t h E A S T G I P P S L A N D F I E L D D AY S

COMMUNITY GROWTH THROUGH

AGRIBUSINESS

Tasmania’s Agfest celebrates its 32nd year Agfest is Tasmania’s premier agricultural field days event and held from 1-3 May at Quercus Rural Youth Park, in Carrick. Agfest is now in its 32nd year and attracts more than 700 exhibitors and 65,000 patrons. It's a one-stop-shop for agricultural needs with many machinery, equine, sheep, beef, dairy, cropping and mixed farming demonstrations and exhibits. This year Agfest's Beef Expo is big and better than ever showcasing many breeds and associated the businesses and products. It is organised by young Rural Youth volunteers aged between 15-30. This is something the Agfest Committee is proud of, according to promotions director Heidi Broun. “We are a unique event because the average age of our committee is 23 and we all have full-time work or home commitments outside of Agfest,” she said. “Being volunteers, we all commit our time each year because we enjoy working together and seeing all our work pay off as the gates open. We are proud of what we achieve each year.” The event is open daily from 8am until 5pm with adults’ admission at $15, students are $5 and children under 5 free.

FRIDAY MAY 9 & SATURDAY MAY 10, 2014 BAIRNSDALE VICTORIA For a prospectus please visit www.egfielddays.com or telephone (03) 5153 1398 32

 Agfest has a number of novel events including a

heritage display and the Peter Brock Memorial Four Wheel Drive track exhibitions.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

NZ National Fieldays entices 120,000 visitors The New Zealand National Agricultural Fielday provides the ultimate connections for the agricultural industry. The largest agribusiness exhibition in New Zealand, NZ National Agricultural Fieldays is the catalyst for the agricultural sector to network, providing a forum for business decisions. Set out on 98 hectares at the Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand, it runs from 11-14 June. More than 1000 exhibitors are will have products on display and on average 115,000/-/120,000 visitors roll through its gates over the four days. Experienced dairy farmer and local resident Warwick Roberts was recently elected president of the NZ National Fieldays Society and starts his term immediately. Roberts had held the position of vice president of the society since 2012 and takes over the presidency from Lloyd Downing, whose term ran 2010-2013. As member of the Cambridge Young Farmers, Roberts helped with fencing at the very first Fieldays, held then at Te Rapa, and later at Mystery Creek. Peter Nation will take over from Roberts in the role of vice president of the society. Nation was elected to the Board in 2004 and has more than 15 years of service for the society.

 This year’s New Zealand event is expected to have more than 1000 exhibitors and 120,000 visitors.

Tasmania’s Premier Field Days

and

field • 1, 2 3rd days • May 2014 Quercus Rural Youth Park, CARRICK

Come to AGFEST and see: • Central Arena Displays • Equine Expo • Craft Pavilion • Dairy Pavilion : • Heritage Displays • Sheep Dog Trials • Equine expo • Rural youth feature • Quercus Makerstent Market – • Unique Tastes Pavilion • Dairy pavilion • FashionTasmanian parade and ag artwork Arts and Crafts • Agricultural Demonstrations • Beef expo • Schools kit – Kids Agricultural • KAAP Four-Wheel • Sheep• dog trials Drive Track • CentralAwareness arena displays Program • Unique tastes pavilion • Craft •pavilions Beef Expo - returning in 2014 • Rural Youth Feature Tent • Agricultural demonstrations • Heritage • Plusdisplays over 600 exhibitors • Ag Artwear Display

Come to AGFEST and see

• Four-wheel drive track

• Plus over

600 exhibitors . . .

1300 AGFEST (243 378)

 Fieldays 2013 welcomed 22 delegations and business travellers from around the globe.

Organised by the Rural Youth Organisation of Tasmania

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

WHAT'S NEW - Water & Irrigation Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition 2014 The Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition at the Gold Coast Convention Centre will be held from 2-6 June 2014. Conference and Exhibition The conference and exhibition will attract professionals from the entire irrigation value chain across both rural and urban irrigation industries. These will be: • irrigators • suppliers • equipment manufacturers • researchers • water supply organisations • advisors • government officials • policy makers The Exhibition The Irrigation Australia Exhibition will take place on 4-5 June 2014 and consist of more than 80 exhibitors showcasing the latest products,

services, applications and technology that the industry has to offer. Demand for exhibition floor space has been very high with the show’s organisers announcing that 99% of floor place was already occupied by December 2013. Recently it was announced that due to high demand the show floor has been expanded with an additional 12 stands. As an exhibitor at the show there are an extensive range of benefits including: • close business • face-to-face meetings • demonstrate products and services • obtain market ‘cut through’ • educate the attending industry professionals • maintain market share • meet and entertain loyal customers

• g enerate leads and build a qualified database. “Our company has been a member of Irrigation Australia since we started trading in Australia in 1994,” said Tony Shepley, sales and marketing director at Nelson Australia. “We have been exhibiting at Irrigation Australia’s trade show since then. “We will be showing our full portfolio of irrigation products; agricultural, industrial, turf and golf, which includes products such as the new R2000 rotator, R55A end gun and the extended range MP rotator from both Nelson and Hunter.” The show offers unparalleled networking opportunities and chances for information exchange. The Irrigation Australia Trade Exhibition is the ideal platform to reach a wide

 The Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition attracts local and overseas visitors with its high quality program. 34

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

range of contacts face-to-face in just two days.

 Speakers for the event cover a variety of different fields of expertise.

The Conference In addition to the exhibition, the Irrigation Australia Conference will be held on 3/–/5 June 2014. The conference will host the theme of ‘Water for Life, A Future for All’. The conference program will look to the future of irrigation covering such issues as: • sustainable water resources for agriculture • climate and cloud based irrigation scheduling and control • micro irrigation • water regulation • water management and efficiency analysing the impact of issues on both rural and urban communities. The conference will consist of paper presentations, poster presentations, workshops, public debates, Q & A sessions and several keynote speakers. Keynote speaker and wetland ecologist Prof Max Finlayson is an internationally renowned wetland ecologist with extensive experience in Australia and overseas in water pollution, mining and agricultural

 More than 80 exhibitors have taken display space at the 2014 event. impacts, invasive species, climate change, and human wellbeing and wetlands. He has participated in global assessments such as those conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and the Global Environment Outlook. “We feel the conference theme ‘Water for Life, Future for All’ fits perfectly with our company vision; to save water, save energy and do a better job irrigating. These are the key goals we

always keep in mind when we design, develop and promote our irrigation products” said Shepley. Irrigation Australia Limited (IAL), together with the Gold Coast Tourist Board, will be offering various holiday and accommodation packages to extend to delegates, delegate partners and other visitors including transport services to Gold Coast destinations such as theme parks. Irrigation Australia will be hosting a golf day at a local golf club and the gala dinner on Wednesday 4 June 2014 in the

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

arena at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. With a diverse range of equipment and qualified professionals on site the 2014 Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition is the key show for the irrigation industry. The event will deliver great insights and opportunities into rural and urban irrigation and water management. Registrations for the conference and exhibition are open online at www.irrigationaustralia.com.au. For more information contact Luke Kasprzak event manager on 02 9556 7972 or email lkasprzak@etf.com.au

List of sponsors and exhibitors SPONSORS

Featured Exhibitors

• COMDAIN

Amiad Water Systems Cummins South Pacific Franklin Electric Australia Pty Ltd IB International Irrigear Stores Pentair

Philmac ProWater Nationwide Siemens Think Water Zig Sense

2iE INTERNATIONAL

Davey Water Products

IPLEX PIPELINES AUSTRALIA

Advanced Industrial Products

Dorot Australia

Irrigation Components

Antelco Pty Ltd

Dura Plastic Products, Inc.

Irriland Srl

Aqualab Scientific Pty Ltd

Dynapumps

Land F/X

Arangul Plastic Mould Co.

EnviroPro Dielectrics

Lindsay International

Axter International

FHS - Fusion Hire Services

Mait Industries

Aytok Filtration

Geofabrics Australia

Maric Flow Control

Baoding Fengba Modern Agricultural Facility Bauer GmbH (Australia) Pty Ltd

Goldtec Control Systems

MEA

Groundwater Imaging Pty Ltd

Metzerplas Australia

Bermad

Grundfos Pumps

Microjet Australia Pty Ltd

Biocentral Laboratories

Guyco Pty Ltd

Nelson Irrigation

C.R.I Pumps

HATZ Diesel Australia Pty Ltd

Observant

Caprari

Holman Industries

Orange Pumps

ConLab Pty Ltd

HR Products

Outpost Central

Crusader Hose Pty Ltd

Hydrawise

Pacific Controlss

Dama Manufacturing Ltd

ICI Industries

PALAPLAST S.A.

• SANTOS • HUNTER INDUSTRIES • ALLIGARE • SUNWATER

Exhibitors

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

We know that

YOU KNOW.

SINGLE STAGE FIREFIGHTER® PUMP

TWIN STAGE FIREFIGHTER® PUMP

The Davey Firefighter® – No.1 in Australia, sold all over the world. A reputation takes time to build, and you didn’t just start in business yesterday did you? You also know that when a home or farm is on the line, quality counts.

The patented wet end of a Davey Firefighter® will draw water strongly on suction lift and throw it out further to where you need it. It will operate in harsh conditions day after day and always be ready when you need it. That’s our reputation. For more information visit davey.com.au or call 1300 232 839

TAD0657/0114

That’s why you recommend Davey Firefighters as the first stop, and why we are the No.1 engine driven firefighting pump in Australia.

Parkland Irrigation

Sentek

Triangle Filtration & Irrigation

Power Equipment Pty Ltd

Shakti Pumps

Valmont

Puretec

Signal Data Systems

Vinidex Pty Ltd

Queensland Irrigation Services

Signature Control Systems

Wanfair International Exhibition Co.Ltd

RAESA

Sterling Pumps Pty Ltd

Welling & Crossley

Rain Bird

Sub Motors Australia

WiSA Irrigation Solutions

Reinke Manufacturing Company, Inc.

TIPSA Australia

Xylem Water Systems

Rhino Water Tanks

T-L Irrigation Company

Yuzuak Sprinklers

Rodney Industries

Toro

Irrigation Australia Workshop Program A detailed workshop program is designed specifically to give irrigation industry professionals and end users valuable insights to improve their business. Exhibition workshops will be dedicated to the following themes and industry groups:

• • • • • • • •

cotton growers horticulture and vegetables macadamia nut growers nursery and landscape business – banking and finance business – internet marketing energy and emerging technology sports turf

• turf production •p umping, water and energy efficiency • retail • sugarcane growers

KY General Engineering Manufacturers of

Serving the rural area for over 30 years! David Blake Graeme Elliott

Directors 13 Crichton Rd Kyabram 3620 Ph: 03 5852 1589 Fax: 03 5852 3873 Mob: David 0407 745 329 Graeme 0417 327 103

Email: kypumps@iinet.net.au

 Prof Max Finlayson. Keynote speaker and wetland ecologist Prof Max Finlayson is an internationally renowned wetland ecologist with extensive experience in Australia and overseas in water pollution, mining and agricultural impacts, invasive species, climate change, and human wellbeing and wetlands. He has participated in global assessments such as those conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and the Global Environment Outlook.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

N1355

For more information contact Power Equipment Pty Ltd: e: info@powerequipment.com.au w: www.powerequipment.com.au p: 1800 069 469

WHAT'S NEW - Water & Irrigation Davey makes a Monsoon event with its pump range Davey has a couple of Monsoons to pump on demand. The Monsoon 6C is for the operation of up to six hydraulically similar pumps plus a jockey pump. It's ideal for when water demand is reasonably stable. It cascades the pump operation for higher flow demands when required via electronic pressure sensing to ensure maximum operating efficiency. The Monsoon 6C booster system uses a proven and easy to use interface making set up and system adjustments simple. The advanced controller allows for multiple programmable pump protection features, fully adjustable menu system, programmable I/O remote control functions and can be supplied to customer specification with remote start, flashing and audible alarms, phase fail, lightning protection. Soft start or DOL configurations are available.

• Scale • Salinity • Iron 20 mm to 300 mm

Before 40

For varying flow demand, the Monsoon 3V and 6V variable speed controllers can vary the speed of pumps to deliver constant pressure. The cost savings resulting from running pumps at a slower speed when demand drops can be substantial, offsetting the higher initial capital cost. For more information www.davey.com.au

Growth enhancement

1300 138 223 www.hydrosmart.com.au AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

After

Versatile pushes 1800 litres of water per minute Australian Pump Industries’ big QP402 four inch water mover has proven itself as the farmers’ “drought buster”. The Aussie Quick-Prime QP402 offers huge flows of up to 1800 litres per minute and heads of up to 28m. The pumps will self-prime from a 8.4m direct lift, enabling suction from dams, wells and creeks. Recent on-farm tests demonstrated the pump priming from a 3m lift in less than 30 seconds. “The QP402 is designed for high flow transfer. Even a small amount of rain can overflow a turkey nest dam really quickly,” said Aussie Pumps’ Adam Scully. “This big pump can transfer the water across fast, preventing overspill and wastage." The QP402 has a Honda petrol engine and options include 8hp to 13hp

versions with recoil or electric start. In its base configuration, it comes with heavy duty cast iron impeller and volute. The impeller has large open vanes to allow spherical solids to pass straight through the pump without damage. A free four-inch coupling and strainer kit is also provided and pump body components are made from high grade marine aluminium. “We have also developed high pressure kits to suit” said Scully. “For example, we can change the impeller and volute for a high pressure set that gives heads of up to 70 metres. That’s almost 100 psi." For more information www.aussiepumps.com.au  Hamish Lrenz of New South Wales uses the QP402 to shift water from dam to dam.

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

Hydrosmart expands to service an overseas audience The landing of a provisional patent by Hydrosmart has catapulted the company to an international audience. This is an Australian success story, as it was our nation’s farmers who thought up the variety of uses to which Hydrosmart can be put, and director Paul Pearce who empowered them to give their hunches a trial. Hydrosmart makes unusable water useable. Generally this means borewater high in minerals. Most users are already using their available water from an existing bore, and have started to see problems accumulate. Hydrosmart has shown over more than a decade of trading, that it rejuvenates infrastructure by dissolving calcium scale, gypsum and other built up mineral layers. The outcomes of international scientific trials have confirmed that salinity problems can be overcome with Hydrosmart, and that crops grow vigorously in water as high as 6000 ppm. So farmers are looking at a two-fold and synergistic advantage from the technology. Firstly their pipework is unblocked, and secondly they can expect a growth advantage to their crops. From strawberries in Mt Barker, SA, to grapes in Medindie, NSW, and cattle in Roma, QLD, there seems to be no end

to the variety of applications. Hydrosmart is a complete unit that slots into a farmers' existing pipework, draws less than 50 watts of power, and does not limit water volumes. Therefore it fills a gap in the market where filtration and chemicals either cannot help, or are overly  Hydrosmart director Paul Pearce expensive and can has worked with farmers to ensure his harm crops. product is what they need. While water softeners add sodium to water, Hydrosmart technology does not add or remove anything, but rather changes the interactions between minerals in water. The research and development program conducted by Pearce has now been federally endorsed, including an overseas finding allowing international collaboration in NZ and USA. The provisional patent being lodged under the US patent system signals a period of high confidence from the manufacturer, the Australian government, and the international community. Sales in Dubai, Thailand, USA, New Guinea, Venezuela, India and Botswana have placed the company at the top of their game in serving global agriculture, and promoting sustainable food production, with resource optimisation.

 The Hydromaster 250

comes pre-assembled on 3x250mm Class 12 PVC pipes. Applications include agriculture, large volume irrigation, commercial, industrial and waste water, as well as other uses.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

What’s New - Fire Prevention Narbethong firefighter wins inventor title The Inventor’s Association of Australia has named a Narbethong firefighter Victorian Inventor of the Year. After two years of hard work, Rod Sheppard has commercially released the “PumpDefenda”, a device designed to protect private firefighting pumps from flame contact and radiant heat. He originally developed the product to assist in the bushfire protection of his own property. The 53-year-old has been inventing all his life but has only entered the fray as a commercial inventor over the last five years. “A lot of people invent things but not many go that extra step to turn their invention into a commercial product,” said Sheppard. “It’s quite a slog, believe me. You’ve got to do market research, find money, work out how to reach people ...” His previous focus was a product called the ‘Eco-Switch’ which saw him not only appear on the ABC TV program “The Inventors”, but win the Peoples' Choice Award. While facing the challenges involved with getting a new product known and out onto the market, Sheppard is taking inspiration

from his great-great grandfather Hiram Crawford. While he had been aware that his ancestor had an emergency services connection as one of the founding members of the Country Fire Brigades Board (precursor to today’s Country Fire Authority), he only recently uncovered Crawford’s remarkable life story.  The PumpDefenda Aside from his involvement with protects firefighting pumps from flames the fire brigade, Crawford’s great and heat. passion as he went through life (and this is where the family connection is hard to dispute) was in new-fangled agricultural machinery. Much of this was never actually put to practical use but collected and constantly on show to invited groups and many newspaper reporters who visited his property.

Fire ready is Fire Safe Fire does not depend on native bush to speed its onslaught across the country. Grass fires can advance at a terrifying pace, trapping livestock, and catching farmers by surprise. Australian Pump Industries stresses the need for a “Fire Ready” plan and has one available for farmers. In consultation with government departments and fire authorities, Aussie Pumps has developed guidelines for livestock protection. These include planning ahead, assessing the grass type, maintaining water and food for livestock, building fire breaks, allowing accessiblity, minimising risk, and having the right fire fighting equipment ready and waiting. “We developed the Aussie Fire Chief for applications like this,” said Aussie Pumps’ product manager Brad Farrugia. “The “big belly” design and massive impeller give flows of up to 450 litres/minute at pressure of up to 100/psi. The Fire Chief is powered by a Honda petrol engine and comes with heavy-duty steel skids and anti-vibration mounts. The Chief ’s big brother, the Aussie Mr T, is a big twin impeller pump that develops up to 130psi and flows to 550 litres/minute and comes with a Honda 9hp or 13hp petrol engine or a Yanmar 10hp diesel drive. More information including the free “Fire Ready Survival Plan” is available from www.aussiepumps.com.au or call Australian Pump Industries on 02 8865 3500. FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

What’s New - Crop & Tillage Steiger Rowtrac unveiled in Moree Case IH’s Steiger Rowtrac was unveiled for the first time in Australia in Moree, northern New South Wales, providing farmers with the opportunity to view one of the highest horsepower, tracked row-crop tractors on the market. The new tractor has also been on display in Dubbo and Wagga Wagga and is available Australia-wide. “Case IH extends its track technology leadership with the new Steiger Rowtrac, proving again that four tracks are superior to two in row-crop applications,” said Pete McCann, Case IH business manager. “Customers told us they wanted a Steiger Quadtrac with more flexibility for more jobs, while maintaining power, performance and innovation. “The Case IH four-track, positive-drive system is the only factory-integrated drive system of its kind in the world. It puts more power to the ground, improves traction and simplifies transport, allowing users to cover more ground in less time, even when field conditions are less-than-optimum.” Four tracks transfer more power to the ground than two, and the Steiger Rowtrac will provide more options and greater flexibility for customers. With equal-sized, independent, oscillating drives on all four corners, farmers can get in to the paddock sooner, especially in adverse field conditions. The wheelbase has been extended from 3.9m to just over four metres, so each track has more ground contact resulting in better transfer of power to the ground. “Better traction helps reduce compaction by minimising slippage on the soil surface,” said McCann. “Compared to two-track systems, operators will see no ridging or berming in turns. “In addition, each track drive oscillates up and down up to 10 degrees to maintain consistent ground contact no matter what the conditions.” The Steiger Rowtrac has a narrower track width, with adjustable row spacing and the capacity to pull large implements. 44

 The Steiger Rowtrac has a narrower track width, with adjustable row spacing and the capacity to pull large implements.

 The cab is large, comfortable and quiet. It has all the advantages of Quadtrac technology for both primary and secondary tillage and field applications, including planting, side-dressing, fertilising and specialty applications. Walgett farmer Peter Ricardo has Australia’s first Steiger Rowtrac 450. “The Steiger Rowtrac will change a lot for us. We’ll go from sowing 12 metres to 24 metres and stay on our tram lines, so we’ll double our productivity,” said Ricardo. For more information visit www.caseih.com

 Walgett farmer Peter Ricardo has

Australia’s first Steiger Rowtrac 450.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

Unit 2, 204 Stickland Road East Bendigo Victoria 3550

Wheels and gangs A replacement press wheel gang system for air hoe drills has arrived. Manutec has developed a new gang system that utilises the existing gang frames on the air hoe drills but replaces each gang with individually mounted pneumatic wheels. This system overcomes many of the issues with current gangs and significantly reduces downtime, maintenance and costs on the air hoe drills, as well as offering improved performance. The new system can be adapted for use on John Deere 1820 and 1830 models as well Flexi-Coil and Bourgault air hoe drills. Manutec has also released a new long life zero maintenance press wheel system. The new press wheel has a fully sealed heavy-duty agricultural hub that is maintenance free and will suit those farmers dry-seeding large areas. The new wheel has been proven to

 Manutec has the full range of Mud

 The new press wheel has a fully

significantly reduce downtime and through-life costs. The sealing solution used is effective against twine/string, vines, stones, dust, mud, wire and fertilizer, and the bearings are high capacity and capable of withstanding higher than normal shock loads. The new wheel is available to both OEMs and farmers to replace existing press wheel systems that may be struggling with harsh environmental conditions. Manutec has the full range of Mud Razor 16” gauge wheels to suit John Deere single and double disc openers.

The new gauge wheels are also compatible with most other single disc openers that use a 16” gauge wheel. The Mud Razor range is designed to significantly reduce mud build up on the discs while allowing residual mud to flow from inside the gauge wheel to outside. Manutec has a large range of press wheels, gauge wheels and coulters to suit all Australian and overseas brands and it has been serving Australian farmers for more than 25 years.

Razor 16” gauge wheels.

sealed heavy-duty agricultural hub.

For more information call Dan or Mick on 08 8260 2277.

Great Western Tillage parts manufactured in Toowoomba Great Western Tillage is a market leader in the supply of high quality components for the popular IHC3-4 and IHC3-5 and Napier 690 offsets. Its comprehensive range includes the spools, bearing blocks and other castings, bearings and rubbers, boron steel mud scraper blades and gang bolts. Castings are sourced through foundry affiliates in China and produced using the lost wax and fine sand casting procedures, ensuring superior products are manufactured. The gang bolts are manufactured by Great Western Manufacturing at its Toowoomba factory using only high quality imported steel. These products are available from local Great Western Tillage dealers. For more information call the sales offices at Toowoomba on 07 4636 9150 or Bendigo 1800 087 971. 46

 Popular IHC3-4, IHC3-5, and Napier 690 offsets are available through Great Western Tillage.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

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What’s New - ATVs, SSVs, RTVs, Ag Bikes Rolling on with Roll Over Protection Over the past year the issue of Roll Over Protection (ROP) has been gaining traction with the debate continuing. AFDJ has received opinions from both sides and we are endeavouring to present both sides. The latest information came from Dr Tony Lower, director of the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety at the University of Sydney, who wanted to raise the issue as it has ramifications for retailers in their provision of advice to customers. He says the Dynamic Research data was reviewed by Monash University Department of Aeronautical & Mechanical Engineering (http://www.iscrr.com.au/ reports-pubs/research-reports/quad-bikewebsite-summary-first-dec.pdf). According to Lower, in the latest Monash review, the “large reported increase in injury risk reported for unhelmeted riders using a CPD was found to be a misrepresentation of the true results, due to changes made to the baseline case(s) used for comparison. "Contrary to what the report implies, the CPD tested actually returned a predicted

improvement in the injury risk/benefit ratio for unhelmeted riders.” Lower also said that more recent data released from an independent forensic engineer (unnamed) has verified highly significant benefits from the fitting of Crush Protection Devices (CPDs). The website link provided however, did not shed any more light on this topic (http:// www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv23/ Session%2024%20Written.pdf). Lower concluded that, based on the evidence, retailers should be advocating the fitting of CPDs with customers as part of an overall package of safety for the use of quads. “With quads looking like they will be the leading cause of on-farm fatal injuries in 2013 (the fourth year out of the last five), it is vital that accurate evidence-based information be provided to both retailers and customers so that informed decisions can be made,” Lower wrote. The 2013 review of media reports involving quads compiled by Lower’s Australian

Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety highlights the dangers associated with their use. “Tragically, throughout the year there were 21 quad related deaths reported”, said Lower. Information indicates that 15 of the 21 deaths (71%) occurred on a farm. The type of incident was split evenly between rollover and non‐rollover events. “Not only is there a large number of deaths, there was also a further 78 injuries which were serious enough to result in press coverage,” said Lower. Recommendations to reduce deaths and injury start with selecting the safest vehicle for the task that needs to be completed, and in the majority of cases this will not be a quad. However, given the high rate of rollover incidents, if a quad is still to be used, then a suitably tested crush protection device should be fitted. This is an increasingly common approach for many farmers and businesses that use quads and recognize their danger.

Sportsman ACEs for work and play Polaris Industries has introduced the Sportsman ACE ATV that is farm and trail capable, offering a new agricultural or off-road experience. “In creating the Sportsman ACE, we wanted to not only appeal to current farmers, commercial users and off-road enthusiasts, but develop a vehicle that brings new customers to both work and recreation,” said David Longren, vice president of Polaris’ Off-Road Division. The ATV has 26.04 cm of ground clearance and 24.1 cm of rear travel due to a fully independent rear suspension with twin tube shocks and adjustable preload. An all-new 32 horsepower ProStar Electronic Fuel Injected (EFI) engine with an internal counter-balance shaft powers the vehicle. 48

The Sportsman ACE has a unique ROPS cab frame previously found only on side-by-sides. It’s also equipped with a 3-point seat belt, and has side bolsters to keep the operator properly positioned in the center of the machine. Polaris positioned all the major components, including the driver, between the four wheels for a responsive ride. The vehicle is equipped with halogen lighting and has a 10.6 litre semi-dry, front storage compartment, a highcapacity Lock & Ride cargo box with rack extenders and rear tie-down rails, that also accepts the accessory Lock & Ride cargo box for additional dry storage. It can carry up to 260kg of gear. The Sportsman ACE is pre-wired for the installation of a winch with up to 1587kg

 The Sportsman ACE has the

credentials for a workhorse with sporty aspirations.

capacity and a 680kg towing capacity. The Polaris Sportsman ACE will be available in authorized Polaris dealers from April 2014.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

What’s New - General Products Watch out for the Scud A new, single-phase electric drive pressure cleaner is proving successful with professional and consumer buyers. Called the Aussie Scud BB100E, it uses a combination of a heavy duty, triplex, professional pump, slow speed four pole squirrel cage motor and robust galvanised frame. “The new machine was originally designed for Australia’s plant rental and hire industry,” said Aussie Pumps’ product manager Hamish Lorenz. The new machine features a Bertolini “Big Berty” heavy-duty, slow speed, triplex pump with brass head and big, multi fin, diecast crank case. The crank case has an oil chamber that provides lubrication for the crank chamber and cooling for the entire pump. It comes with ASP (Aussie Safety Protection) that includes a heavy duty independent regulator valve that controls pressure and flow. A super robust control switch, the most heavy duty of its kind in the industry, provides electrical protection. It automatically cuts power to the motor if the unit is overloaded or overheats. With operator convenience in mind, the company designed a unique galvanised frame, colloquially nick named “car boot” style. The frame incorporates a folding handle and it doubles as a trolley, not only protecting the pump but also making it highly mobile. The high pressure hose is wire braid complying with SAE Standard R1.

 The production line making Aussie Pumps’ Aussie Scud. With a 10m hose the operator can walk around without having to change the machine’s position. Guns supplied are rated to 3500psi and provide the customer with the option of being able to change lances from standard 700mm to longer lances for cleaning hard to get at locations. The company has developed a range of accessories like the turbo lances that multiply the pressure effect, grit blast kits for stripping paint or rust and an extension wand called the “Telewand”. Hose reels are also available for long length hoses. More information is at www.aussiepumps.com.au or from Aussie Pump distributors.

Leading hydraulics manufacturer based in Australia Southcott is a major player in the hydraulics, control systems and fluid connectors market. The company manufactures in Australia and so controls the entire process from raw material to finished product. The company has designed, installed and commissioned major projects throughout Australia. Southcott has a distribution network of 10 sales branches, three manufacturing facilities, an electronics’ division and more than 150 distributors nationally. Southcott's CHILD branded fittings is one of the largest ranges of hydraulic hose couplings and adaptors in Australia. The modern manufacturing facility has the latest CNC machinery, impulse and burst testing equipment.

 Southcott’s manufacturing facility in Taree, New South Wales. As an ISO 9001 manufacturer the focus is on delivering consistent high quality products. Southcott engineers work closely with clients from design, development, prototyping and fields testing to develop a system solution, and

analyse existing systems, to offer ways to improve reliability efficiency or find cost savings. For more information visit www.southcott.com.au

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

Case expands Magnum 370 to include CVT Case IH has expanded its Magnum Series to include the new Magnum 370 CVT. The new model is ideal for large-scale implements and will deliver power to the ground with ease and efficiency. In addition to the Magnum 370 CVT, the Case IH Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) transmission will be released as an option for the Magnum 235, 260, 290, 315 and 340 models. “The new Magnum 370 CVT is our most powerful front wheel assist tractor yet, and continues to deliver the efficient power that the Magnum Series is known for,” said Peter Elias, Case IH product specialist for tractors. “This new addition to the Magnum Series is designed to deliver power to the ground with larger implements such as planters and tillage rigs that bring economies of scale to large operations.” The new Magnum 370 features the efficient 8.7L Case IH FPT industrial engine, which delivers up to 419 maximum boosted engine horsepower with outstanding fuel efficiency and low operating cost. Its heavy-duty surround frame provides the framework and “workingweight” ballast needed to transfer high horsepower levels to the ground. To harness this added power, the new Magnum 370 will feature a heavier final drive and rear axle assembly. “The new CVT transmission for the Magnum models provides excellent mechanical efficiency through an

 The new Magnum 370 features the efficient 8.7L Case IH FPT Industrial engine.

industry-leading four-gear range system,” said Elias. “With the Case IH CVT transmission, you can go from 0 to 50km per hour without having to manually shift. "Since the MultiControl handle operates like a propulsion lever, you have more opportunity to concentrate on the task at hand. “You get the optimum combination of power, efficiency and ease of operation. CVT allows your tractor to find the sweet spot between power and efficiency, homing in on the optimal combination of engine RPM and transmission gear for the task.” The new CVT transmission provides smooth operation with seamless shifting and a continuous selection of working speeds.

The simplicity of Case IH CVT technology also makes it ideal for less experienced operators and hired help. The MultiControl armrest controls the CVT transmission in a manner similar to, yet even easier to operate than, traditional Case IH full Powershift transmissions. “It’s an easy transition for older hands, along with an easy learning curve for new operators,” Elias said. “With the new CVT transmission and added power in the Magnum 370, producers can take on today’s larger jobs, allowing producers to expand their operation.” For more information visit www.caseih.com

Agrifac Premium Proven machines with suger beet harvesters Agrifac manufactures crop sprayers and beet harvesters that are easy to operate. The company is an innovative manufacturer of self-propelled crop sprayers and sugar beet harvesters supporting customers with solutions to make their work easier. “Finding the right machine can be tough. When you have a limited budget but still want to purchase high quality 50

equipment, Premium Proven is the ideal solution. “We can work with you to find the optimal equipment to meet your budget and demand,” said Evert Romijn, responsible for Premium Proven at Agrifac. All Agrifac machines are less than fiveyears old, are refurbished by certified technicians and they can perform in

the field like new machines. Agrifac Premium Proven after: •h igh-end quality machines less than five years old • fully documented service history • t horoughly inspected using the latest technology • o ne year warranty and a return policy. For more information visit www.agrifac.com/premiumproven

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

On-farm solution for corn drying John Hibma at Mathoura is one farmer in the mid-Murray Valley who sought greater value and return from his land, water allocations and irrigation infrastructure by expanding the cropping program on his 1820 hectare (4500 acre) property. Historically this had been all winter crop but he introduced feed corn as a second crop to follow canola. In his first year, season 2012, he planted 50 hectares that required drying because of the later planting. In Hibma’s region there is not a lot of corn grown and the conventional wisdom is that it must be processed by expensive high capacity drying systems in that season, or left standing until the following year, to ensure marketability. However, without drying equipment on-farm, Hibma was faced with transport and drying costs of up to $60/tonne before selling his crop. His search for answers – locally and globally via the internet – revealed silo processing was possible and being utilised successfully not far away at Corowa. His search led him to Australian grain storage company AgHub – agents for Superior silos, the IntelliAir system, and Sudenga grain handling equipment. In Hibma’s case the solution involved

a 1000-tonne silo, IntelliAir Bin Management System, a small generator and a small diesel burner to warm natural air at a minimal level. IntelliAir is offered at three levels: • bin Manager – a premier version which is an internet-based control system which gives you access to data on a mobile device or desktop computer, • bin Manager Basic – with full automation on-site with no need for internet, and • binCheck Handheld – providing exterior walk-up access. The result for Hibma was on-farm drying costs estimated at less than half those of the off-farm option, and no transport costs. The 1000-tonne silo was more than adequate for drying the 2012 season corn crop, with the crop brought down to the required moisture content in about four weeks. Based on his experience so far, on-farm drying in-silo is perhaps a fifth of off-farm transport and drying costs, and all at a relatively modest capital cost which is highly useable grain storage when not required for drying corn. “And I didn’t really have to spend a lot of extra money to get the drying facility,” Hibma said.

 John Hibma has made corn a viable option.

This year the crop was planted in two stages so the first, smaller block should not require artificial drying while the second larger block’s crop should fully utilise the new system to be dried for market. “With the Bin Manager you know straight away if something does go wrong – which wasn’t an issue anyway, but it was nice to know you can remedy that if need be – you can keep a good eye on your grain,” Hibma added. “And if we’d bought just a drying facility it would have doubled our costs, added the handling involved and still not included the 1000-tonne grain storage.” For more information contact Ag Hub’s Alistair Tubb 0427 344 972.

Finnish designed tractor harvester head Getting a harvester head for an agricultural tractor is a tough decision, as there are lots of changes to be done for the boom hydraulics and an electric cable has to be drawn from the harvester to the cabin, but not any more thanks to a clever design from Finland. Pentin Paja developed a stroke harvester that would be simple to use and install, and cuts off everything ‘extra’. The Naarva S23 weighs only 230kg and uses just four hydraulic cylinders. The switch between loading and grapple on Naarva S23 is easy – connect two hoses and remove one pin. The stroke harvester, which is for tractors and 5-8 ton excavators, is operated with grapple open/close buttons.

A button closes the grips and a pressure limit is reached, then stroke feeding starts. After the stroke has reached maximum position (50cm), you press grapple open and the stroke cylinder will reverse. This cycle will be repeated until the required length is reached. Then you can cut the tree by holding the close-button. When the stroke cylinder has reached its maximum position and a pressure limit is reached, the oil flow is guided to the cutting cylinder and tree is cut. The S23 guillotine is strong, reliable and easy to maintain. A cutting blade can be mounted with splitting wedges to make 25/-50cm firewood directly after felling.

 A simple head for cutting firewood. Wedges are easy to mount and dismount with three bolts. Immediately after felling, the trees can be crosscut and split, with the firewood pieces falling straight into the bag. The Naarva firewood rack can be mounted to a three-point linkage of a tractor to hold a firewood bag. For more information visit www.pentinpaja.fi/en/front+page/

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

Narrow width sprayer attractive to berry producers A northern Tasmanian grower of blueberries and raspberries has purchased the first unit of the new Silvan 1000 Litre Trailed Compact Supaflo sprayer. This new model has been developed by Silvan Australia for farmers with the special requirements of narrow row widths. Silvan’s product manager Gavin Wheatcroft said that there has been continuous demand for a power takeoff trailed high-tech spray unit that addressed the narrow row spacings favoured or utilised by many boutique vineyards, all types of berry growers and trellis tomato producers. “Our product development and engineering team at Silvan Australia accepted the challenge to create a solution and the 1000 Litre Compact Supaflo is a very pragmatic spraying advance for these types of enterprises,” said Wheatcroft. “The new Supaflo is ultra-narrow with a maximum width of 1.1metres and

has a specially designed one thousand litre capacity Polytuff impact resistant polyurethane tank. “The dimensions are complemented by the highly efficient 700mmdiameter adjustable pitch axial flow fan with eight curved nylon reinforced blades and a protective mesh cover”. The Supaflo 1000 Litre Compact also has a range of operator feature like an 80 litre capacity fresh water flush tank to flush the pump, filters, spray lines and nozzles. There is also a 15litre fresh water hand wash tank for operator. The sprayer pump is a Silvan IDS960 oil-backed diaphragm pump with a 96litre per minute, 50 bar capacity, with agitation of the spray compound also provided by the pump bypass and venturi agitator. The new Supaflo Compact is to be matched to a 40 horsepower tractor. The control system employs 40 bar electric section valves, master valves, electric pressure adjustment with an in

 The Silvan Supaflo Compact has a maximum width of 1.1metres and a 300kg dry weight.

tractor cabin control box and a 0-50 bar pressure regulator. For more information contact Silvan Australia by emailing info@silvan.com.au or by calling 1300 SILVAN (1300 745 826)

Yanmar is ThoroughClean In the pressure cleaning business Ipswich based ThoroughClean is a market leader in the heavy-duty sector. The company motto is “Over Engineered – On Purpose”. Following a successful trial of the Yanmar L70N single cylinder air cooled diesel engine on the company’s fire fighting units, ThoroughClean is now specifying the Yanmar L100N engine in their pressure cleaners. Typically, these are pressure cleaners that pump at 3000 psi and deliver 15 litres of high-pressure water per minute. “We purposefully over-engineer all of our products,” said Harold Muller, general manager of ThoroughClean. “Our products are built to be strong: we have more than enough engine power and pumping capacity on board so that we can keep the revs down and deliver longevity without any compromise to performance. “The Yanmar engines are very well accepted by our customers and their reputation for quality is completely justified. “Our testing and development proved that the Yanmar LN Series engines to be quieter than competitive products, an important consideration in the realm of the OH & S requirements. 52

 The L100N can pump 3000 psi and deliver 15 litres of water per minute.

The Yanmar brand is also surprisingly price competitive, so the decision to change was pretty easy to make.” Power Equipment supplies the Yanmar LN Series engines, which are then configured for each specific application. The Yanmar L70N displaces 0.32 litres and produces a maximum output of 6.7hp at 3600 rpm while the Yanmar L100N has a larger displacement at 0.44 litres and produces 10 hp at 3600 rpm. For more information visit www.powerequipment.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

What's New - Finance With Rudy Boef, Treasurer Rural Bank

After the harvest, what’s the good news on farm investment options? With many farmers celebrating a successful harvest and with strong grain prices, thoughts are turning to the best use of profits. While many farmers will use harvest income to pay down loans, the old adage of “saving for a rainy day” or a non-rainy day as the case may be, also makes financial sense. The Farm Management Deposit (FMD) Scheme provides a tax effective “rainy day” term deposit by allowing farmers to set aside and earn interest on pre-tax income from profitable years and use it when needed most to reduce the impact of income fluctuations. Regulated by legislative rules in relation to deposit term, total amount held by one farmer and off-farm income, Farm Management Deposits continue to gain popularity, with total holdings in the FMD Scheme increasing year on year (www.daff.gov.au). The time may also be right for farmers to grow and improve their farm businesses through investment in farm expansion, capital improvements or equipment purchase. Harvest incomes combined with favourable market rates may provide a suitable environment for farmers to grab hold of these opportunities. Recognising that farms are financed like no other business, specialised banking products are needed to factor in seasonal fluctuations in income and expenditure. From term loans through to tailored livestock building or equipment finance products, Rural Bank offers a range of specialised farm finance solutions to specifically support farmers with their farm investment goals at any given time. So, in the current interest rate environment, what techniques are being used by rural borrowers? With the Reserve Bank keeping interest rates on hold at near-record lows for now and many analysts tipping rate

 Rudy Boef believes the Farm Management Deposit Scheme is worth a look. increases in the latter half of 2014, particularly after the recent higher inflation data, borrowers who are currently not hedged (i.e. variable) or under-hedged may now be considering fixing a portion of their loans. Customers who already have fixed rates in place, which are maturing some time in the future, are investigating the possibility of entering into a forward start fixed rate - i.e. locking in a new fixed rate loan which starts when the existing fixed rate matures. Others, who already have fixed rate loans in place maturing some time in the future, and the fixed rate may be significantly higher than the current market rate, are considering a “blend and extend” strategy - e.g. if they currently have a fixed rate maturing in say 12 months time, they may consider locking in a new 3-year fixed rate or adding a further 3-year fixed rate term to the current maturity date, and blend in the current lower rate to the existing (higher) fixed rate to immediately benefit from a lower overall rate. Whether investing in the future through savings or increasing business potential, we recommend you seek the advice of your accountant or agribusiness banker to ensure you get the most effective financial solution for your business.

Rural Bank Rural Bank is a wholly-owned member of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group. It is the only Australian owned and operated dedicated agribusiness bank in the country. We’re backing farmers by providing them with financial tools that help smooth out seasonal fluctuations in income and expenditure. Our specialist farm finance tools are available nationally via a network of banking partners, including Bendigo Bank and Community Bank branches and Elders Rural Services. Through these experts in the field, we deliver customers with unparalleled choice and access within regional and rural communities and on the farm. Funds deposited with Rural Bank are returned to country Australia in the form of loans to farmers and we also support the Australian farming community through a countrywide program of community involvement activities. Phone: 1300 660 115 www.ruralbank.com.au

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

DEALER PROFILE Mirco Bros history Mirco Bros commenced trading on 1 July 1968 as a family run business owned by brothers Vince and Peter Mirco and wives June and Gean.

With this issue, AFDJ introduces Dealer Profile, which will focus on how Australasian farm machinery dealers are responding to market changes and their business survival. When we asked West Australian Peter Mirco about the Mirco Brothers business, he had something much bigger on his mind. We asked well-known Western Australian Peter Mirco about how his business was going in these uncertain times, since he has been active with the industry since the late 1960s. He was adamant though that he wanted to discuss something that was inextricably tied to his business and was of far more concern to him. Peter is concerned about Australia's ability to provide food in the future for other countries to enable us take advantage of our resources. He was very animated about the subject and was really troubled with our country’s policies and issues. He believes that increases in the world market and the expansion of the Asian market are vitally important for Australia and that we should take a far more involved stance. “Those countries need food and so does the eastern block,” he said. “There will be a shortage.” We should be ramping up to take advantage of those opportunities but according to Mirco politicians aren’t helping farmers with that. He believes that “there’s not a sufficient base to worry about”. There’s not enough farmers compared with people in the city and votes are more important than our future. “They’d (politicians) rather spend their money in the metro areas and they don’t give a damn about agriculture,” he said. He was equally concerned with the two 54

major supermarket chains and how they are affecting our farming community. “Coles and Woolworths are sending people broke. They are screwing them on price and then the farmers are losing money and then they close down,” he said. “Those companies are buying lots of produce overseas.” He was hopeful that the drop in the Australian dollar might help. “It’s a big problem in Australia. They should look at what happened with Wal-Mart in the US,” he said. Wal-Mart has been criticized in the US because of allegations of foreign product sourcing, the treatment of its supply chain, and that it uses predatory pricing to drive out competition. Mirco was also concerned about Australia’s Free Trade Agreements with other countries that he says appear to be lopsided, with other countries not always taking our goods but Australia being forced to accept theirs. “The government can’t do much now they’re a signatory to the FTAs so we have to take their stuff but they don’t have to necessarily take ours,” he said. As a general view, Mirco said that politicians don’t think about the long-term future, they only think to the next election. This is not the long-term strategy that will help us to take advantage of the opportunities to become a major part of meeting the food needs of the future.

As with many family companies it originally started small in premises on Rockingham Road, Spearwood WA. It traded as a liquor store, post office, deli and supplier of fertiliser, chemicals and seeds. By 1972 the business built new premises in Spearwood and the product range expanded to include SAME tractors. It took until 1978 for them to sell their first tractor. Peter and Vince then opened a branch in Wangara that carried all of the same products. New premises were built in Henderson in 1984 and this is the head office. Machinery lines continued to expand and tractor sales increased so Vince and Peter started Sound Oil Distributors with Agip motor oils and lubricants. Sound Oil Distributors now imports US Lube oils and lubricants. In 1992, they acquired the Manjimup Trading Company and expanded to include product ranges carried at the Henderson and Bibra Lake stores, as well as selling manchester, linen, wood stoves and heaters. Another new premises in Bibra Lake was opened in July 2003 to house the machinery division. A new store in Neerabup opened in 2009 and all trading from the Wangara branch moved to the flagship store including the product ranges carried at the Henderson and Bibra Lake stores. In 2012, Mirco Brothers Machinery expanded into NSW with a new store and warehouse based in Minto, trading as MB Tractors & Machinery. Peter and Vince work with sons Martin, Michael, Steven and Johny.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

AFDJ MY VIEW Dr Yann Guisard Educating for Agriculture In December 2013, Professor Jim Pratley’s review in Agricultural Education and Training in NSW was released with the government’s response. This review follows a long line of inquiries, including the review of post secondary agricultural education in Western Australia (2010); the federal Senate enquiry in higher education and skills training to support agriculture and agribusiness in Australia (2012) and; the inquiry into agricultural education and training in Victoria (2012). Additionally, there were a range of state and federal reviews focussing on efficiencies in agricultural production and its enabling structures. These reviews have provided opportunities and frustrations. It was frustration from sometimes slow and reluctant implementation of recommendations and an opportunity to analyse the underlying issues affecting agricultural education. More importantly, when reviews have similar conclusions they demonstrate societal trends. Pratley’s review, like the Victorian review, had a wide scope. He was essentially mandated to investigate educational institutions delivering agricultural education and the societal components influencing public and professional perceptions of careers in agriculture. In essence, this was a study of the whole of the agricultural education supply and value chains, including primary and secondary schools, agricultural colleges, universities and vocational training institutions, and the industry itself. It formulated 27 recommendations to government: all but one was supported in the government’s response, and 15 to the industry. A range of issues was identified. The general public perception is that careers in agriculture equate to “farming” and this reduces the interest of our brightest minds to enter the “farm dependent economy”. Yet, these bright minds are exactly what’s needed to tackle the serious challenges in the next generation. Here is a real challenge for a bright young person. How can you contribute towards doubling

the world food production? How can you do this using the same land area used today with increasing social, environmental and financial constraints? A solution rests in the integration of agriculture in all possible key learning areas of the primary and secondary curriculum. But teachers in nonagricultural schools are members of a society that views agriculture in a rather negative manner. They do not have, and one may argue should not be expected to have, agricultural specific skills. They are therefore uncomfortable using agricultural examples. The diffusion of agriculture in day-to-day activities could be facilitated by nurturing a positive perception of agriculture in the broad population and through the integration of agriculture as outcomes of the national and state curricula. Whereas the first solution is a longterm strategy, the second is very close to teachers as they teach to these official and measurable standards. Pratley suggests that industry has a critical role to play in suppling teachers with high quality educational material. “English” and “biology” are the most undertaken subjects in the NSW HSC. They are the subjects where industry would have the greatest opportunities to provide educational material aligned with curriculum outcomes, easily searchable and available, free of copyright and digital. This disconnection between industry and society is a strong point in this review. At present, the farm dependent economy has taken a “hands off” approach to the education of its future employees. Agriculture and allied industries need to demonstrate they value education. Currently the level of education of employees in the agricultural sector is far below that of the general population. The old argument that “agriculture is mostly hands on and therefore the employee will learn on the job” does not hold true in view of the complexity of the challenges facing the sector. The job market recognises this as tertiary agricultural graduates in business and

- Charles Sturt University

Dr Yann Guisard

Dr Guisard completed a Bachelor in Viticulture at CSU an Honours degree at the University of Queensland and completed a PhD in viticulture. He was originally employed at Charles Sturt University as a lecturer in horticultural production and was the co-ordinator for a range of horticulture and viticulture subjects, but also taught aspects of statistics and information systems to undergraduate and postgraduate agricultural students. Dr Guisard was appointed as the School of Agricultural and Wine Science’s first courses’ director. His duties include the design, evaluation and review of all courses including the articulation and integration of pedagogical concepts in the agricultural and science courses.

science are in great demand – there are between four and six jobs per graduate. Pratley suggests the industry needs to take responsibility for its own future, starting by undertaking workforce planning studies, work collegially across the supply chain and support the research sector to source of some of tomorrow’s innovative solutions. This review differs from the previous ones as it provides evidence that agriculture is a sophisticated sector. It is an integral part of our society and a great source of culture and wealth. If it is to capitalise on what it can further contribute to the future of Australia, it needs action from all of us. Governments ought to enable and support structures for change; the education system needs to embrace the diversity of agriculture in its curriculum and the industry needs to actively take charge of its image, its people and its place in our society, but above all it needs to show leadership on these matters.

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

What's New - TMA News The year that was and some crystal balling … With Richard Lewis director TMA

Last year saw what could be best described as an average year for farm machinery sales throughout Australia, with some highlights and lowlights at either end of the curve. Tractor sales fell 7% from 11,500 units in 2012 to 10,500 units in 2013, an unexpected surprise for most dealers and importers. This makes five years in a row of higher than 10,000 units sold into the Australian marketplace, which is now looking like the new average. Taking a closer look at the numbers gives you some idea where the demand is coming from. Up to 40hp and the lifestyle marketplace contributes around 30% of the total market, and there was less than a 5% drop in this category year on year, suggesting that the non-productive market and lifestyle farming market remains strong. This sector is driven by off-farm income and is difficult to forecast as there is little correlation to general agricultural indicators and the performance of this sector. The largest part of the tractor market is the 40-100hp market. It accounts for 40% of the total market and dropped almost 15% this year. The primary driver for this reduction is within the poor performing horticultural and viticultural markets and the tough first half of the year felt by the dairy industry. Surprisingly the 100-200hp market, which holds 18% of the market, rose 6% year-on-year due to the uptick in dairy fortunes and hay and fodder markets after June last year. Finally the large 200+hp market saw a drop of 6% and holds around 12% of the total market in units. However it accounts for a large proportion of the dollar volume of the marketplace 56

and therefore is very important to importers and dealers. So there you have it in 2013 – as mentioned, an average year with some highlights and lowlights within the numbers. The combine harvester market fell to 700 units nationally, which is slightly below expected but down 30% from the previous two years of 1000+ units sold into the sector. Thankfully the baler market was up 10% after five continuous years of decline and reports from the field confirmed that most dealers managed to clear out their inventories of used balers and hay tools. This is a welcome change and reflects the high demand for hay and fodder throughout the country due to dry conditions and improved dairy performance. Out-front mowers remained relatively unchanged on 5000 units for the year due to a big uptick in sales in December of over 40%. So where to from here? Can we expect another 10,000/+ year of tractor sales? Well, we think not, although it will be close! We have forecast a 5-7% reduction in tractor sales this calendar year across the country due to a number of factors, not the least of which is the amount of equipment dealers have had to trade over the past few years to achieve sales volumes. There is plenty of new and used inventory on the ground at dealers yards and in depots and warehouses of importers and manufacturers. This is good and bad news. The bad news is that dealers will be careful when offering trade values on new machines until they move their current used inventory. This will likely drive down values of used machinery in Australia in the short term.

 TMA's Richard Lewis. The good news is that the new stock that is in country will be priced at a higher dollar than where we are today, so there should be some decent deals around for buyers, particularly if they don’t trade. Combine harvester sales will be lower than this year by a similar figure to mid-600 units nationally as dealers face the same trade/used difficulties in this market, and moreover the large tracts of broad acre Australia that are in dire need of rain. The baler and hay tool market is expected to increase another 10% as this market recovers and the prospects of dairy producers improve from this time last year. We haven’t mentioned tillage and sprayer sales as we don’t measure these markets specifically, however 2013 was generally a vast improvement on past years for both products. The expectation is that tillage sales will continue to improve with sprayer sales to drop significantly as the market is again oversupplied with used trades at dealer level. There is it – the TMA prediction for 2014. In a nutshell, it’s not too bad considering our history and certainly better than a lot of sectors of the Australian economy. Happy selling.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

LAW REVIEW The effects of relationships on asset retention We all have close relationships with others. It is part of our humanity. Our parents, children, ourselves will marry, divorce, live with, separate, spend time with, people who are important to us. Our families deal with how that affects our own and family lives on a daily basis. What is forgotten is that the social experience of relationships has legal implications - yes “the law” does intrude into our lives. When we marry, are in a de-facto relationship, or other domestic relationship, including a same-sex relationship, those relationships impact on what happens to our assets when we separate or die. Claim may be made on the breakup of a relationship under the Family Law Act and The Property (Relationships) Act NSW (other states have similar legislation) and on death under the Succession Act NSW and the Superannuation laws. The results of those claims affect farming families and country businesses whether they are operating under structures such as a company, a trust, in individual names but as agreed or in partnership, as a sole trader or by share farming arrangement. Are you aware that: • married/de-facto partners can bring claims for property settlement on a break up of a relationship • a de-facto relationship does not necessarily need to be in existence for two (2) years - a claim may be brought if there is a child of the relationship or a significant contribution to assets • to be in a de-facto relationship, you do not necessarily need to live together fulltime • on death, a married spouse and a defacto spouse can both bring a claim against an estate • if there is no Will and there is a separated married spouse and a defacto spouse, both have an entitlement

if the de-facto relationship has been in existence for more than two years A person in a close personal relationship (that is, providing domestic support and personal care while living together) may have a right for property adjustment (this includes close friends living together and other non-sexual relationships). It could also give rise to a claim upon the estate. What constitutes a de-facto relationship has been considered by the Courts. In November 2013, the Supreme Court of New South Wales in finding that a de-facto relationship existed made two statements that may be of interest. In past judgments the following was said: “The concept of living together does not relate to sharing a particular residence but … whether a couple manifests a relationship of a “coupledom” which involves the merger of two lives.” And again “… living together as a couple involves a personal commitment that is mutually acknowledged and of an emotional kind transcending the mere fact of the shared residential setting.” Although most people share a residence when in a de-facto relationship, you can have two homes and spend time together. You can be in a de-facto relationship and not live together seven days a week. The complexities of our personal relationships have a financial impact. There can be challenging and serious consequences for the retention of family and farming assets when relationships cease or people die. Many of those consequences may be unintended but will be the results of the development of the law as our society and law changes. If you are in any doubt as to the effect your relationship has upon yours and your family’s assets, legal advice will assist in clarifying your position and enabling you to plan for the future.

Warwick Gilbertson Partner - Wills & Estates, Contested Wills & Estate Planning Country raised Gilbertson has 33 years of experience and is the partner in charge of the estate planning, contested Wills and family law teams. Warwick and his teams commit themselves to protecting families and other stakeholders. One way they achieve this is by structuring a client’s existing and future wealth in a way that minimises risk. Clients with a range of business interests and personal assets find this service vital. Gilbertson sees this proactive and planned approach to risk minimisation as a key service. His accreditation as a family law specialist is testimony to his expertise in dealing with property settlements; especially those cases that involve the added complexity of partnerships, companies, trusts and self-managed super funds.

FEBRUARY 2014 - AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

Advertiser Index 2014 Irrigation Australia Trade Exhibition & Conference......1 www.irrigationaustralia.com.au AgFest Field Days.................................................................33 www.agfest.com.au Airtex Pty Ltd.......................................................................11 www.traxtools.com.au Ag Appointments Employment............................................12 www.agri.com.au Australian Clutch Services....................................................20 www.australianclutch.com.au Australian Pump Industries..................................................43 www.aussiepumps.com.au Bare-Co...................................................................... 10 & 59 www.bareco.com.au Brown Brothers Engineers Aust. Pty Ltd..............................13 www.brownbros.com.au Case IH..................................................................................2 www.caseih.com Clark Equipment Sales.........................................................22 www.clarkequipment.com Davey Water Products P/L...................................................37 www.davey.com.au Eastern Spreaders Pty Ltd.....................................................30 East Gippsland Field Days....................................................32 www.egfielddays.com Great Western Tillage...........................................................45 www.gwtillage.com.au IB International....................................................................41 www.ibinternational.com.au

Ionized P/L (Hydrosmart)...................................................40 www.hydrosmart.com.au Ky General Engineering.......................................................38 LK Diesel Service Pty Ltd.....................................................14 www.lkdiesel.com.au Manutec Pty Ltd..................................................................47 www.manutec.com.au McDougall Weldments........................................................16 www.mcdougallweldments.com.au Mirco Bros Pty Ltd...............................................................21 www.mircobros.com.au Power Equipment Pty Ltd....................................................39 www.powerequipment.com.au Prime Engineering & Pumping Solutions.............................42 www.primeeng.net.au Schaeffler Aust. P/L..............................................................19 www.schaeffler.com.au Southcott Hydraulics..............................................................9 www.southcott.com.au Starmaxx................................................................................7 Trailco Irrigation..................................................................18 www.trailco.com.au Tyres 4U..............................................................................15 www.tyres4u.com.au UD TRUCKS......................................................................60 www.udtrucks.com.au Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics...........................................17 www.2wglobal.com Wimmera Machinery Field Days..........................................31 www.wimmerafielddays.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2014

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