Australiasian Farmers' & Dealers' Journal by Provincial Press Group

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL • MAY 2013

Power take off for Bare Co in Europe & US Popular tractor specification tables

POWER AND PERFORMANCE

AWESOME CAB COMFORT AND VISIBILITY

PROVEN BOOMS

ALL-IN-ONE BIG MACHINERY RELIABILITY ROGATOR

CUSTOMISATION OPTIONS 1100 I 1300

Freecall 1800 999 162 Email sales@croplands.com.au www.croplands.com.au

Australasian Farmers’ & Dealers’ Journal

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ AND DEALERS’ JOURNAL

Established 1984 Publisher & Manager Editor Hartley Higgins General Manager Elizabeth Bouzoudis Editorial Mandy Parry-Jones Email: edit.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au Features Editor Keith Smiley Advertising Manager Sheryl Braden Ph: (07) 5523 9771 Mb: 0438 877 072 Email: s.braden@ryanmediapl.com.au Production Chris Nicholls 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 Ryan Media Pty Ltd ABN 85 085 551 980 Suite 103, 486 Whitehorse Road,

From the Editor... Like the staff at AFDJ, many readers will have explored their local field days. Some will have explored more than one as we have, and some may have found what they were looking for immediately. There is nowhere better to seek out new equipment, new ideas and sometimes even find something you didn't realise you wanted or needed than a field day. As an example, at Gippsland's Farm World field days, awards were presented that highlighted new machinery both powered and non-powered that can make life on the land a little easier and safer. It's worth checking out our report on the event as well as our field days calendar which is in every issue of AFDJ. See what event is on that is near to you. Without any shadow of a doubt what is always prominent at any field days event is 'tractor alley' where every tractor known to the Australian public is on display. That's great, however, how many times have you looked at the sprawling lines of tractors and thought – where do I start? With this in mind we have selected a few of the most popular tractors on the market in Australia and have drawn-up tables with basic specifications. This should help to sort the 'wheat from the chaff'.

Putting aside my poor excuse for humour having like-for-like specifications listed for each tractor will make choosing what to follow-up that little bit simpler. Still on the subject of tractors, Richard Lewis, executive director of the Tractor & Machinery Assocation of Australia has given us his thoughts on what's ahead for the year. He has put together his top 10 targets for the TMA's next two years of work. How much the forthcoming Federal election impacts on his forecast is anyone's guess though. AFDJ also asked well-known agricultural identity and perhaps soon-to-be politician Jock Laurie to write down his thoughts on the future of the industry in My View. He does this as he leaves the position of head of the National Farmers Federation to stand for pre-selection for the National Party seat of Northern Tablelands in New South Wales. Laurie is a grazier from Walcha and was the president of the NFF since 2010. So we hope you will not only enjoy this issue of AFDJ but come away with fresh ideas and a new vision for the future. Mandy Parry-Jones, Editor. edit.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au

Surrey Hills, Victoria 3127 Phone: (03) 9888 4822 Fax: (03) 9888 4840 Email: admin.afdj@ryanmediapl.com.au Website: www.afdj.com.au ISSN 1442-4983 Conditions Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor/ publishers; information is published in good faith and we do not accept responsibility for damage which may

In this issue... Regulars

Features

My View.................................... 41

Honda's Taste Test..................... 30

News........................................... 4 TMA News................................ 42 Field days.................................. 44

Farmers have their say.............. 32 Products.................................... 80 NO

February 2013 Issue 87

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL • MAY 2013

Power take off for Bare Co in Europe & US Popular tractor specification tables

POWER AND PERFORMANCE

AWESOME CAB COMFORT AND VISIBILITY

PROVEN BOOMS

ALL-IN-ONE BIG MACHINERY RELIABILITY ROGATOR

CUSTOMISATION OPTIONS 1100 I 1300

Freecall 1800 999 162 Email sales@croplands.com.au www.croplands.com.au

CFMoto finds its Mojo.............. 28 What’s New in Finance............. 38 Power Take off for Bare Co...... 43 What’s New in Tractors............ 54 What’s New in Spraying........... 62 What's New in Fencing............. 66 What’s New in Pumps............... 68 What’s New in Tyres................. 72

This issue’s cover: This issues cover: Grizzly 4 & 88)New in Till & Crop....... 73 What's New in Spraying page(See 62 also pagesWhat’s

What’s making News Analysis and forecasts for farmers Australia’s farmers, fishers and foresters are expected to perform well in 2012-13 to achieve $39 billion in exports and $51 billion in production, but smarter practices and cooperation between industry and government will be vital to long-term success. Executive director of ABARES Paul Morris said the figures showed Australia’s agriculture, fishing and forestry sectors have resisted many of the challenges of a high dollar and natural disasters by being innovative and seizing opportunities presented by overseas markets. Providing a detailed analysis of local and global economic prospects for Australia, Morris said 10 years of relatively poor seasons for Eastern Australia has been followed by two years of recovery, with 2011-12 being a particularly strong year across the whole of Australia. “The returns this year are softer than the very impressive figures of 2011-12 which saw production hit $54 billion and exports reach $41 billion. However the forecast 2012-13 figures remain on a par with averages over the past decade in real terms,” Morris said. “Looking forward, moderate demand growth, the strength of the Australian dollar and increased competition from suppliers in other countries are expected to place pressure on our exports. “The five year outlook to 2017-18 anticipates a fall in the average value of farming, fishing and forestry production to around $50 billion in real terms. Exports are also projected to

ease to $37 billion, which is almost four per cent lower than levels seen over the past decade.” Rabobank Group chief economist Wim Boonstra shared Morris’ view of the world economy. “More integration and solidarity is necessary for Europe. While the US has partly avoided the fiscal cliff, further budget battles are coming. As for China, the risk of a hard landing will increase if rebalancing is not tackled effectively,” he said. “All in all, we must brace ourselves for a bumpy recovery.” Looking beyond the medium term, Morris said Australian industry and governments would need to work together to drive growth. “Industry will have to focus on highlighting Australia’s highquality produce as a point of difference and invest strongly in research, development and innovation. “Better use of technology will be needed to drive improved competitiveness.” Morris also emphasised the importance of government carefully balancing competing priorities. “The trade-off between economic development, the environment and community expectations has probably never been quite as stark as it is at present,” Morris said. “Scarce resources and global competition make this trade-off very real. The way that industry and policy makers respond will be central to the future of agriculture, fisheries and forestry in this country.”

ABARES models food The world’s demand for food will increase by 75% by 2050, putting food security and reform to the agriculture sector at the top of agendas for business and governments. Productivity gains are vital in placing Australia’s farmers at the front of those benefitting from a growing appetite. ABARES economist Jammie Penm said increased demand for more food and highquality products in Asia opened significant opportunities for Australian agriculture, but competition would be fierce. “Competition will come from all around the world, but also from increased production in the Asian region,” Penm said. “ABARES modelling shows food production in Asia is expected to increase significantly to 2050 as countries 4

have greater potential to increase their agricultural productivity. “Increased supply from Asia and further abroad is likely to dampen projected price rises in the future. This means Australian farmers will need to boost their productivity to compete.” Looking from a global perspective, director of trade and agriculture at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ken Ash said ‘business as usual’ will not deliver global food security. “New policy approaches are needed in a number of areas,” Ash said. “We need an improved climate for trade and investment, demand driven agriculture innovation systems, more efficient use of

land, water and biodiversity resources, and effective risk management tools.” Director of the trade and markets division at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) David Hallam reinforced challenges and opportunities faced by agricultural industries. “There are complex economic, political, institutional, legal and ethical issues relating to food security,” Hallam said. “These also tie in with issues around poverty reduction, rural development, technology and access to land and water. “Developing countries face the challenge of managing and attracting foreign capital while trying to ensure investments actually deliver benefits to their nations and investors.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Blueprint for the future of agriculture Ensuring Australian agriculture is a world leader in providing high quality food and fibre into the future is the goal of the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture – the first industry developed plan for the future of Australia’s farm sector. Launched by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and the Blueprint partners, it is the first plan for the future of the sector developed by the sector, and identifies the seven key areas that underpin the future success of agriculture in Australia. "It has been developed as a result of input from almost 4000 people across the agricultural sector, who identified the key challenges, opportunities and potential solutions to the issues we

face,” said NFF past president Jock Laurie. According to the NFF it is an ambitious plan that identifies critical areas in which action must happen now to be well placed for the future. These are – innovation; research, development and extension; competitiveness; trade and market access; people; agriculture in society; natural resources and transformational issues. “The Blueprint participants have called for such action as an increase in investment in agricultural RD&E to help improve productivity growth and address issues like the changing climate. This is long overdue, with investment in rural R&D stagnating

since the mid-1970s,” said Laurie. “They also wish to see upgrades in critical infrastructure and a reduction in red tape to help the sector remain competitive and the completion of key free trade (FTA) agreements, like the Korean FTA, to secure market access.” WAFarmers President, Dale Park, said the Blueprint process had been extremely thorough and the Federation looked forward to working with the NFF on the next stage of the plan. “Having been involved in the process, personally, it is an interesting time to finally see the results,” Park said. The Blueprint for Australian Agriculture is available to download at www.nff.org. au/blueprint. Download at www.nff.org.au/blueprint.

Get the right staff with ag business experience Agricultural Appointments has been a significant force in the world of agribusiness recruiting for the past 34 years and over that time has built an enviable reputation. What started as a one-man band has grown to a sizeable group of 14 recruiters and support staff. This growth has allowed the development of individual recruiters with sector specialisation and of particular interest to readers of AFDJ is the agricultural machinery specialisation of long-time staff member, Lucy Purcell. Purcell has been with Agricultural Appointments for nearly a decade and has developed a special interest in the agricultural machinery sector. This is not surprising as she comes from a 6th generation farming family in the Tumut district in New South Wales and was brought up on a family property before graduating with a Bachelor of Business Agricultural Commerce, University of Sydney – Orange Campus. After graduation, Purcell ran her own

contract farm business running packing sheds and providing a viticultural and horticultural farm advice service within NSW. She also had a stint in the advertising industry serving agribusiness-based clients in the Central West of New South Wales before entering into the world of personnel recruitment. Since that time, she has built up a national client base and her network extends globally. Her special interest in the agricultural machinery sector was sparked by her realization of the enormous increase in productivity that have been achieved over the past 100 years by efficient farming practices and the particular contribution made by the machinery sector. Rumours that she is in reality a tractor petrol head are entirely baseless, according to Purcell. No matter the origin of Lucy’s interest in agricultural machinery, you can be assured that if you engage her for a recruitment assignment you will get the best in service and knowledge.

More information is at LinkedIn au.linkedin.com/pub/lucypurcell/7/3b8/603/ or contact Agricultural Appointments on 1300 887 460.

Lucy Purcell of Agricultural Appointments has been with the company for almost 10 years.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Clark Equipment Australian distributor for McCormick Tractors Clark Equipment has been appointed national distributor for McCormick tractors, a name iconic to generations who have lived on the land. McCormick has a 180-year history of producing tractors and agricultural equipment. Clark Equipment has a history in equipment distribution, and McCormick adds to its portfolio of agricultural products that includes Bobcat tractors and telescopic handlers, DakenAG, Tonutti and Muratori.

Clark Equipment is a BRW Top 500 Australian private company operating from more than 20 locations across Australia and New Zealand and with more than 500 employees. McCormick tractors are available from a national dealer network, fully supported by Clark Equipment. For more information www.mccormick-tractors.com.au or Facebook www.facebook.com/ mccormicktractors.

Dayco buys Brazilian Nytron for bigger market share Dayco recently acquired the Nytron Group, a major Brazilian manufacturer of drive belts and timing tensioners, pulleys and hydraulic actuators. Nytron is the largest manufacturer of tensioners and pulleys in South America. With the completion of this acquisition, Dayco takes a major market share in South America. The acquisition will also allow Dayco to significantly strengthen its position in the South American and the Australia Pacific region belt market. “Expanding our global footprint ensures our leadership position is maintained in the tensioner and pulley markets,” said Ed Rammel, president of the North American and Australian aftermarket divisions of Dayco. “This acquisition is another step forward in the continued evolution of our global strategic plan,” he said. Nytron will provide Dayco Australia with access to parts, improving Dayco’s product offering and coverage. Dayco says that its vertically 6

integrated manufacturing will ensure that it continues to be first to market for drive belt and timing components. Nytron operates two production plants, one is primarily dedicated to aluminium die casting operations. The aluminium die casting operation will offer synergies and opportunities for Dayco’s worldwide Original Equipment, heavy duty and aftermarket divisions. “This acquisition further strengthens Dayco‘s leadership in tensioner and pulley manufacturing, ensuring that we can supply our Australian customers with new applications faster and further extending our already unparalleled aftermarket range,” said Dayco Australia managing director Arnold Mouw. “Dayco is currently experiencing major growth across all of our global markets and the Australia Pacific region is a key part of this.” Dayco researches, designs, manufactures and distributes of a broad range of belts, tensioners and pulleys for automotive, trucking, construction, agricultural,

ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle), snowmobile and industrial markets. More information www.dayco.com.au.

Arnold Mouw, Managing Director of Dayco Australia.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

App for northern graziers stocking rates A new free smartphone app designed to help northern graziers determine stocking rates and carrying capacity of paddocks has been launched. The Stocktake Plus app was developed with funding from the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Meat and Livestock Australia. MLA’s NRM project manager, Cameron Allan, said 25% of producers were now on mobile devices and that number was rapidly growing. “With the exponential growth in uptake of mobile technology, we realise there is an opportunity to put practical tools into the pockets of producers so they have ready access to information when and where they need it,” Allan said. “The Stocktake Plus app puts a property’s pasture records at your fingertips.

“The app gives you the ability to make informed on-the-spot decisions about stocking rates and paddock management – decisions that are essential to ensure longer-term condition and productivity of the grazing business.” DAFF extension officer, Jane Pryor, led the development of the app, in conjunction with collaborator and beef industry consultant, Steve Banney. “For a grazier standing in his or her paddock, the app uses GPS technology to assess and report the land type,” Pryor said. “Then, through a guided process, a grazier can use the app to monitor their soil, pasture and woodlands to come up with a recommended longterm carrying capacity and a seasonal forage budget. “The app has a number of functions

that can be used independently or together, such as tools to undertake a forage budget, monitor land condition, track stock numbers, and keep rainfall records.” Pryor said the design of the app took into account feedback from graziers on what functionalities it should include. Queensland agriculture minister John McVeigh said new technology, and industry’s acceptance of it, was slowly but surely changing the way primary producers could do business. “I encourage producers to have a look at this technology and utilise this free app, and take advantage of everything it offers,” McVeigh said. More information at www.stocktakeplus.com.au.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Semco opens Melbourne sales Semco Equipment Sales has opened a sales and service centre in Melbourne, Victoria at 117 Freight Drive, Somerton. The new Melbourne location adds to the company’s existing Sydney, Newcastle and Queanbeyan sales centres. Semco’s Satch Santilli said the addition of a Victorian location was driven by the company’s growth from sales in its key products: Takeuchi excavators and rubber track loaders as well as Terex backhoe loaders.

“After serving the needs of customers for 20 years in the New South Wales and regional markets, it’s clear we have a winning formula based on our leading equipment brands, well-honed customer support and accumulated knowledge of specialist applications. “We can no longer ignore the needs of the Victorian market, which represents a significant percentage of the construction, earthmoving, council, roads and infrastructure industries. “Strong sales within our Takeuchi and Terex ranges of equipment has prompted us to open a Semco branch in Melbourne and we have already had success in selling a number of Takeuchi machines to local Melbourne customers. “The Melbourne branch was an easy decision for us to make as it is a region we have been servicing previously with some of our other ranges of equipment such as Fiori mobile batching plants and dump trucks,”

Satch added. Semco said its Somerton location was selected Stuart Marriott after careful consideration for easy road access for its customers and space for equipment demonstration, pre-sale preparation and service. Semco’s Victorian manager is Stuart Marriott, who has relocated from the Semco St Mary’s headquarters, where he was a territory manager as well as Takeuchi product manager, a role he will continue from his Melbourne base. “The move to open Semco Equipment Sales in Melbourne is a great challenge and I’m really looking forward to working with local equipment owners to help make their businesses more productive,” Stuart said. The phone number for Semco Melbourne is (03) 9303 7777.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

PlantMiner website for general plant hire A 24-year-old from Brisbane is bringing more than 14,000 pieces of plant and equipment for hire onto the doorsteps of online searchers across Australia with PlantMiner.com.au. While PlantMiner sounds like it is for mining the site caters for a variety of industries including agriculture. Over 200,000 searches are made for plant and equipment hire related terms on Google in Australia every month, contributing to what has become a multi-billion dollar industry. The website is the brainchild CEO and co-founder, Michael Trusler, a qualified engineer by trade who came up with the concept while working onsite in Queensland’s Bowen Basin. PlantMiner.com.au has attracted more than 14,000 listings from over 350 plant and equipment hire companies from across Australia. It is the first dedicated online plant and equipment hire database suitable for a wide range of industries, directly linking searchers who have specific hire requirements from forestry and farming, to mining and construction, with plant and equipment hire companies across Australia. “PlantMiner.com.au is the most efficient way to search, compare and secure plant and equipment for hire in a hurry, along with project-specific safety features and attachments,” Trusler said. “The portal streamlines the ‘search and engage’ process by gathering a large range of plant and equipment hire suppliers across Australia, in the one place. “Enquiries and quote requests are sent directly to the supplier

Plantminer.com.au is for more than the hire of mining equipment, it includes equipment for the rural sector.

in real-time via email and SMS, which means searchers can receive an immediate response from a range of suppliers, from all locations, via the website.” Plant and equipment hire suppliers can upload detailed descriptions and images of their plant and equipment, safety features and attachments, enabling searchers to view the product before contacting the supplier via phone/email or through the online ‘enquire and quote request’ lead generation system. PlantMiner.com.au also allows suppliers to upload their company and branch information onto a company profile page, acting as a mini website that’s ideal for smaller, more remote businesses. Suppliers can upload company information and business photos as well as OHS policies and general hire agreements.

Honda mows down 25 years in Australia In February 1988 in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria the first Honda lawnmower rolled off the assembly line at Honda Manufacturing Australia (HMA). Production commenced in Tullamarine marking this year as the 25th anniversary of the first lawnmower to be assembled on its production line. HMA has moved six times since then, and the technology that goes into Honda’s 4-stroke mowers and other power equipment products has advanced substantially. More than half a million Honda lawn mowers have been produced at HMA since 1988. The annual output is currently estimated at 40,000 units per year, in addition around 40,000 brush cutters have been produced annually at HMA since 2005. These days, Australian components are 10

combined with parts imported from Japan, New Zealand, USA and China. HMA-produced Honda lawnmowers can be seen across Australia, as well as in countries as widespread as South Africa, India and New Zealand. Before they leave HMA, all lawn mowers are test fired; meaning that they are filled with petrol and oil started, while staff test the unit’s blade, engine brakes and transmission. For 22 of the 25 years, Honda employee Doug Brown has worked at HMA and looks back fondly on HMA’s work over the past quarter of a century. “The facility has moved around a lot over the years”, Brown said, “and our current location in Somerton is fantastic, employing a team of dedicated staff. “The fact that HMA has been able to

This year marks the 25 year that Honda has been producing mowers in Australia.

produce such high quality products is unsurprising, especially when compared to cheap imports that have been entering the marketplace over the past few years. “The design authority for all locallyproduced mowers has been Honda’s head office in Japan. As such, Honda’s lofty quality standards must be met on every single lawnmower that HMA produce”.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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Keech upgrades foundry for ag equipment Keech Australia is set to bolster its position in the agricultural market this year with a dramatic increase in production targets following a $3 million upgrade to its No 2 Foundry in Bendigo, Victoria. The recent upgrade involved a complete overhaul of the facilities, from the moulding equipment to cooling and shakeout systems. “By boosting outputs, we’re better placed to offer better value to Australian farmers, which is part of a long term strategy to increase our position in the market,” said Garth Keech, director of manufacturing. “However increasing production targets alone is not the key to achieving this goal. To really make a mark, we are building on our history of innovation and our reputation as an Australian manufacturer committed to the supply of hard wearing parts of consistent quality.” Keech’s history of innovation includes setting a new standard in the market as the

first manufacturer to launch a range of direct drilling and deep tillage parts in 1968. The company has continued in this stead with continual and ongoing investment into research and development to improve the efficiency of its products for farmers. “The Keech systems have been copied by other manufacturers, however Keech retains its reputation for quality using through hardened alloy steel to 500 Brinell, the hardest and toughest steel on the market. “For growers operating in extremely tough environments, the Keech range is also available with numerous tungsten carbide tips and Keetuff, a weld on metal configuration containing tungsten particles for extra wear life. “We’ve actually looked at the strength of some of the parts cast by our overseas competitors and there seems to be no hard and fast rule when it comes to the strength of the metal.

Keech has upgraded its No. 2 foundry in Bendigo.

“We had a grower contact us recently with a bent point he’d purchased from an overseas supplier. We tested the point for him and found that it measured 320 Brinell, which is well below par.” To ensure the strength of all products, the range is cast in an arc furnace, which removes unwanted elements from the steel such as sulphur, phosphorous, hydrogen and nitrogen that might otherwise weaken it.

NZ farm workers earn above average New Zealand’s Federated Farmers/Rabobank Farm Employee Remuneration Survey 2013 shows that remuneration levels for most pastoral farm positions have continued to increase. The average farm worker is now earning NZ$5500 more than the New Zealand average annual wage and salary. “I need to point out our survey was in the field in late 2012 and before the impact of the 2012/13 drought really hit home,” said Katie Milne, Federated Farmers employment spokesperson. “The drought will undoubtedly have a drag effect on farm wage growth and prospects. We need to also point out that marked commodity price pressures have become apparent in 2013 in the meat and fibre sectors. “The 2013 survey covers more than 3900 positions involving the input of 1194 farm employers. That makes it the most comprehensive of its type. “Federated Farmers considers that it has an important role to develop and attract quality people into agriculture. This survey is intended to assist employers and employees, both current and potential, to better understand what agriculture has to offer. “...the primary industries made up of pastoral agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fisheries employ over 146,000 New Zealanders. Misconceptions about pastoral agriculture must be challenged and this survey is a useful tool doing just that. “Agriculture is vast and includes on-farm work, value-added processing right through to scientific research and international business. 12

“What we are talking about ... are the financial rewards for farm workers. Our 2013 survey showed our workers earned an average salary of NZ$46,246. This actually increases to NZ$49,159 when the value of non-wage benefits is taken into account. “Farming is incredibly wage competitive because the national average wage for people in paid employment was NZ$40,716 in the June 2012 quarter. When you consider living costs in many rural areas tend to be lower than in urban areas it is an eye-opener. “Yet despite relatively high unemployment nationally, farmers are finding it difficult to recruit skilled and motivated staff. There is a gulf between talk in the media about unemployment and the experiences of farm employers. “Farm employers know they need to strike the right balance between containing wage growth and attracting high quality skilled workers to not only consider farm employment but to stay. The need for career development is also important. “We are seeing a growing professionalism in rural employment relationships. This is paying dividends as evidenced by StatisticsNZ’s recent labour productivity statistics. These show labour productivity within agriculture has increased 3.4% each year." Federated Farmers provides tools and support to farm employers as a benefit of membership. This survey is free to members of Federated Farmers and will be available online or via 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646).

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Kazakhstan benefits from Australian tillage Australian-based tillage equipment manufacturer RFM AG is looking to broaden its horizons after visiting Kazakhstan as a result of an invitation from a Kazakhstan farming group. The Republic of Kazakhstan, formerly part of the USSR, is in Central Asia, with a small portion west of the Ural River in easternmost Europe. It is the ninth largest country in the world by land area and is the world’s largest landlocked country. Paul Ryan of RFM accepted an invitation to visit from Ian Keene, an Australian agriculture consultant based in Kazakhstan. For the past four years Keene has been promoting the benefits of no-till technology systems to farmers and government research stations. Keene said that RFM AG is the first company that he has come across that has retrofit no-till products with discs, tynes and press wheels that can adapt to most seeding planters around the world, and will suit a variety of soil types. Kazakhstan and Eastern Europe’s large farming areas consist of crops planted after the snow melt with in-crop moisture. However, similar to Australia the farming community is looking for ways to improve its farming technique profitability.

Paul Ryan of RFM accepted an invitation to visit Kazakhstan.

There are many challenges, including farming traditions of planting at rates of up to 200kg to the hectare, seeding speeds of up to 16km/hr with wide sweeps, and planting on narrow 150 to 200mm spacings. Farmers who are willing to change would like to move into the system as economically as possible. Keene believes they can achieve this with RFM Auspoint

retrofit tynes, double discs and coil press wheels. After years of trials and proving that no-till farming does work in Kazakhstan, Keene is glad he has found a system that is suitable and affordable for the Kazakhstan and Eastern Europe farming communities. More information call Paul Ryan on 0417 354 617 or email paul@rfm.com.au.

Honda PE enters more of the cyberworld If you’re like the millions of other Australians who use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, you are probably aware that businesses large and small are using these spaces to connect with their customers. Honda Power Equipment (HPE) has joined the world of social media and wants to meet you there. HPE has been involved on Facebook for over a year and now it has recently taken the division’s social media efforts to the next level launching a Twitter account @Honda_HPE. Marketing and PR officer, Dylan Stewart, has also opened a @ Dylan_at_Honda Twitter account, where he is available to answer power 14

equipment-related questions in real time. “You don’t have to be Bill Gates to understand that people are spending more and more time interacting online,” Stewart said. “As a brand, we want to be available to our customers where and when they want us, so it makes sense for us to have a presence on social media. “It gives us the opportunity to respond to customer feedback immediately, and keep customers upto-date with what’s going on around the Honda PE division. “Of course, one of the goals of Honda PE’s social media accounts is to share varied content so reviews, testimonials

and customer photos all form part of our social media offerings.” Honda PE also has a dedicated YouTube channel and is part of Honda MPE’s Honda Australia Pinterest account alongside Honda motorcycles, Honda racing and Honda marine divisions. “If you’re active in any of these social media spaces,” said Stewart, “follow, like and watch Honda PE. We’re only a click away.” http://www.facebook.com/ HondaLawnLovers Twitter – http://www. twitter.com/Honda_HPE Twitter – http:// www.twitter.com/Dylan_at_Honda YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/ hondapowerequipment Pinterest – http:// www.pinterest.com/hondaaustralia.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

When reliability counts...

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Silvan Financial Solutions for farmers For many farmers and small to medium sized agricultural enterprises, sourcing the finance from traditional lenders including mainstream financial providers to upgrade or purchase new machinery is not always ideal. Silvan Australia has responded to this with the creation of Silvan Financial Solutions, a new retail finance facility that enables members of its national dealer network to offer financial packages that are tailored to meet individual purchaser and industry needs. Silvan Financial Solutions offers low deposit finance, with varying repayment schedules that can be tailored to suit seasonal or annual cash flows at different times and a low interest rate will be made available. Michael Frost, Silvan Australia’s general manager sales said that the financial package is based upon a minimum loan value per transaction of $10,000. “Silvan has tailored financial solutions packages specifically to assist farmers and rural businesses to purchase our latest advances in new technology,” said Frost. "We anticipate there will be instances where a farmer may wish to acquire a new tractor plus a complementary range of attachments." Silvan Financial Solutions can be specifically tailored to allow customers to bundle all items into one easy-to-manage loan.

Launching the new Silvan Financial Solutions package are (from left) Silvan executives Michael Frost and Gavin Wheatcroft.

“The package provides streamlined documentation with a fast response in terms of quotation and confirmation of the finance offer within 24 to 48 hours,” said Frost. Interested machinery purchasers can access the offer through their local Silvan Australia authorised dealer. For more information www.silvan.com.au.

Breakthrough in weed resistence The agriculture industry is on the path to finding solutions for one of the biggest threats to global cereals production and food security. Herbicide resistance in weed species is one of the roadblocks to increased cereal yields and farming productivity, however a team of researchers from The University of Western Australia’s Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI) and Bayer CropScience has made a major breakthrough. Until now, it has been a mystery how resistant weeds can break down several different herbicides. Using new technology, the team has identified for the first time, six different genes that are expressed at a high level in ryegrass populations resistant to Group A and some Group B herbicides. Weeds resistant to these two herbicide groups account for the majority of the in-crop weed control challenge. The discovery could lead to practical new solutions in the future. “By knowing more about it, we can look at coming up with solutions,’’ said Dr Todd Gaines, Post-Doctoral Research Associate with Bayer Crop Science. “The long-term goal is if we understand how weeds are breaking down herbicides, we can develop new options or maybe add ingredients to old chemicals to protect them.’’ Dr Gaines, who is part of Bayer CropScience’s weed resistance research team led by Dr Roland Beffa, said identifying the specific genes had been too difficult until recently. “This research breakthrough has been made possible by using next 16

Bayer CropScience weed resistance research team leader Dr Roland Beffa (front) with Dr Hermann Stuebler, Professor Stephen Powles, Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI), Dr Harry Strek and Dr Todd Gaines.

generation sequencing technology to get a foothold and then to analyse and identify the genes involved. The technology takes all the DNA and sequences it all at once.’ “In future, growers could send resistant weed samples to a laboratory to quickly check whether they have non-target site metabolism resistance,’’ he said. Dr Beffa said that simple tests could be developed for use in the field and from that information, agronomists and advisers could make better recommendations. He said the research team planned to publish the data and the sequences of the six identified genes soon.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

NFF president retires to head for parliament President of the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), Jock Laurie, has stepped down as head of the nation’s farm body to run for pre-selection for the National Party in the NSW seat of Northern Tablelands. Laurie, a grazier from Walcha in the NSW New England, was elected as the 10th president of the NFF in November 2010. NFF vice-president Duncan Fraser becomes president until the next election is held at the NFF Members’ Council AGM in November as per the NFF constitution. Fraser has served as NFF vice president since November 2010, and owns and runs a wool, sheep meat, rice and wheat property near Hay in the western Riverina district of New South Wales with his family.

National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Board Director and QLD sheepmeat, wool and beef producer, Brent Finlay, has been appointed as the NFF vice president. Finlay, who was president of Queensland’s agricultural representative body and NFF member, AgForce, from 2010-12, runs ‘Cooinda,’ a sheepmeat, wool and beef property in the Traprock region of south east Queensland, with his three daughters. He has more than 25 years experience in agriculture, having worked extensively in sheep, wool, cattle, grain and hay production. Fraser said the Laurie had advocated tirelessly for the advancement of Australian farmers over his two and a half years as president, presiding

over a period of major challenges and opportunities for the agricultural sector. “Jock has walked the halls of Federal Parliament on the major issues facing the agricultural sector during this time – everything from the carbon tax to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, foreign investment, livestock exports, trade and drought, among many other issues – achieving respect from the nation’s Parliamentarians and achieving key outcomes for farmers across the country in the process,” Fraser said. “Under Jock’s leadership, NFF has continued to raise its profile, cementing its position as the peak agricultural representative body. The attendance of the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader at last year’s NFF National Congress is testament to this.”

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NEWS BRIEFS Farm safety WorkCover NSW wants farmers to think more about farm safety. Acting general manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, Peter Dunphy said operating tractors and tractor implements on a farm was a high-risk activity. Dunphy said improving farm safety was a priority for WorkCover NSW after six fatalities and 1766 injuries in the agriculture industry during 2010/11 that cost the WorkCover Scheme more than $20 million. WorkCover NSW has developed a 15 minute farm safety checklist that farmers can use to identify and address general and specific farm safety risks such as tractors and equipment, chemicals, silos and field bins. Farmers and farm workers can download the 15 Minute Farm Safety Checklist as well as the Guide to the Safe Use of Tractors from the WorkCover NSW website or by calling 13 10 50.

AgConnect new committee The Western Australian Farmers Federation AgConnectWA Section elected a new committee for 2013, with Andrew Whitelaw as the new AgConnectWA president and with Rebecca Jenkinson elected senior vice president. AgConnectWA President Andrew Whitelaw said the new committee was eager to get started and provide opportunities for young people involved in agriculture to connect.

ANZ outlook for diary in Victoria ANZ said while short-term conditions are challenging for dairy farmers, the South West Victorian dairy industry is well placed to take advantage of strong export growth opportunities in the longer term. ANZ head of agribusiness, Mark Bennett, commented on the outlook for the local dairy industry. “South West Victoria’s dairy industry is seeing strong international demand. This demand is expected to grow, as highlighted in the latest ANZ insight report ‘Greener Pastures: The Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand’. The report explains that Australia could more than double the real value of annual agricultural exports by 2050. “To become an important component of the food bowl to Asia, it’s increasingly necessary for all dairy industry stakeholders to work together to capture the opportunity. Strong leadership and commitment ... is required to make a collective run for the end goal," he said. 18

Carbon Farming Future Extension Grants Grants to spread information on the Carbon Farming Initiative to farmers and land managers have been announced. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, said 24 projects would share $20 million under the Carbon Farming Futures Extension and Outreach Program. “These grants will be used by organisations to provide clear and credible information to farmers and land managers about how they can reduce emissions on farm and participate in the Carbon Farming Initiative,” Minister Ludwig said. The Cotton Research and Development Corporation will receive nearly $1.4 million to provide information for cotton and grain growers on climate change science and farming practices to reduce emissions and sequester carbon in soil. “The Extension and Outreach projects will help people learn how to integrate greenhouse gas emissions management into their normal business and land management practices," Senator Ludwig said. “The funding supports a range of activities that will ultimately see farmers and landholders participate in the Carbon Farming Initiative, which could see them earn a second income stream.” Extension and Outreach projects will support sector-specific projects, including in the livestock, dairy, horticulture, cotton and grains industries, as well as projects targeting specific audiences, including fertiliser users and young farmers. For more information visit www.daff.gov.au/extensionandoutreach.

BigBaler wins big award New Holland’s BigBaler range of large square balers has won the SIMA Silver Innovation Medal. “The international jury of agricultural experts were particularly impressed by the cutting-edge safety features, which enhance operator safety with a zero-tools approach, whilst maintaining best-in-class outputs,” said Tony Peters, product manager for hay and harvesting equipment Australia. “The BigBaler is produced at New Holland’s global centre of harvesting excellence, in Zedelgem, Belgium ... The facility, which recently gained the world class manufacturing bronze level, is home to both product management and development teams together with the testing and manufacturing departments. “We are delighted that the jury have recognised the great strides that we are making to improve operator safety in the current BigBaler range, the culmination of over twenty-five years of continuous development,” said Franco Fusignani, global head of New Holland Agriculture. “We are not only committed to enhancing agribusinesses’ profits, but also to improving the lives of the people who work with our machines every day. Safety is right at the top of our agenda.” More information at www.newholland.com.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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NEWS BRIEFS Funding for workforce development The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Chris Bowen MP, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Sid Sidebottom MP, announced $4 million in funding for a workforce development program to enable regional workers to boost their agri-skills. The AgriFood National Regional Initiative will drive local skills development in Loddon Mallee in Victoria, Western Downs in Queensland, Warren Blackwood in Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Regional communities will benefit from being able to attract workers and retain skilled employees, increasing local business activity.

Career harvest by video Addressing the labour shortage in the Australian agriculture sector begins with understanding that agriculture is more than farming and harvesting – it’s a science, a business and an art. Career Harvest, an online career hub, plans to bring farming back into the spotlight and inspire a new generation of leaders in the food and fibre industry. A video ‘The Role of a Lifetime’ has been created to highlight that it’s not just farmers involved, there are chemists, veterinarians, marketers, accountants, engineers and even entrepreneurs who all work to improve the efficiency of agricultural enterprises and build a sustainable industry for future generations. Visit careerharvest.com.au for more information.

Controlled traffic farming Farmers, agricultural professionals, scientists, agronomists and machinery suppliers gathered to discuss the use of controlled traffic farming to improve land management and boost soil health, yields, profits and environmental outcomes. Controlled traffic farming (CTF) is designed to reduce compaction and improve efficiency by establishing permanent tracks for managing farm machinery. A big part of achieving innovation is considering the latest methods and technologies available to improve land management, like CTF. The proceedings are available on the Australian Controlled Traffic Farming Association’s website at www.actfa.net.

Swiss Re offer risk mitigation in WA Crop risk mitigation insurance will be made available to Western Australian grain producers next year. WAFarmers Grains Section President, Kim Simpson, said the willingness of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions to enter the Western Australian market reflects their confidence that such a product would be utilised.

Australia to chair G20 agriculture committee Australia has been elected Chair of the G20’s Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, said the appointment gave Australia a leading hand in steering dialogue on global food markets. AMIS was officially launched in 2011 by the G20 to improve data and information sharing for increased transparency in global agricultural markets. Minister Ludwig said while AMIS was a relatively new initiative it had already proven its effectiveness by strengthening communication channels between member countries during 2012’s wheat and corn price spike. “Through our participation in AMIS Australia can promote coordinated international policy responses to market conditions,” Minister Ludwig said. “This will help the development of common strategies to deal with market uncertainty and avoid adverse trade responses.” Australia is just the third nation to be elected chair of AMIS, following France and the United States. The appointment is for 12 months. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will chair AMIS, on behalf of Australia, from October 1, 2013.

Young winners to attend Global Youth Ag Summit Corbin Schuster and Rachael Rodney were announced winners of the Global Youth Ag Summit essay competition at the Future Farmers Network’s (FFN) Youth Agricultural Central in Canberra. Schuster and Rodney have won an expenses paid trip to the summit, which will address issues affecting the agriculture industry today with a key focus on global food security. “It’s going to be a great experience. I’m hoping to get a better understanding of agriculture outside Australia and see what we can do to help solve global issues,” Schuster said. Bayer CropScience and FFN have partnered to provide the winners the opportunity to participate in the Global Youth Ag Summit to be held in Canada in August. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with agricultural youth from around the globe to develop positive and practical solutions for an issue I’m passionate about,” Rodney said. Countries to attend the Summit along with Australia include Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom and the USA.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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New research projects on farm practices for carbon emissions Farmers will benefit from 31 new research projects looking at how farm practices can be adapted to reduce carbon emissions and earn them a second income stream by generating and selling carbon credits. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Joe Ludwig, said 31 projects would share in $30 million under the Gillard Government’s $201 million Filling the Research Gap Program, which funds the research that will assist in developing methodologies that can be applied by farmers and landholders to reduce emissions. A report released by the Climate Commission reinforced the need to act on climate change, finding climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, which pose significant risks to agriculture and the environment. Minister Ludwig said the Filling the Research Gap Program aimed to provide data to assist in developing methodologies that help farmers and landholders participate in the Carbon Farming Initiative to reduce emissions, improve their farm sustainability and diversify their farm income. The Queensland University of Technology will receive $1,816,708 for three projects that will: develop cost-effective methodologies for quantifying emissions of nitrous oxide from agricultural soils; evaluate composting as a practice to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions from manure; and explore weather forecasts as a tool to better time fertiliser to minimise nitrous oxide emissions. This year’s grants build on last year’s first round that saw $47 million awarded to 57 projects.

Minister Ludwig said the research undertaken from Government funding in this round would focus on six themes: • reducing emissions from livestock production systems; • reducing nitrous oxide emissions; • increasing soil carbon; • farm system design and analysis; • adaptation to climate change; • international collaboration. Filling the Research Gap is an ongoing program with initial funding of $201 million allocated over six years to 2016–17. This program is a component of the Carbon Farming Futures Program, under the government’s $1.7 billion Land Sector Package. For more information visit www.daff.gov.au/ftrg.

AgConnects with young farmers in WA AgConnectWA is the new name for the Western Australian Farmers Federation (WAFarmers) young farmers section. The committee elected to change the name to recognise that in addition to young farmers, there is a range of young people in rural, regional and metropolitan areas with a passion for agriculture and progressing rural communities. AgConnectWA president Andrew Whitelaw said it was a tremendous honour to be the new president of AgConnectWA and he hoped the change in name and culture would 22

lead to more young people becoming involved. “I believe that AgConnectWA is a great way of focusing on the future of rural WA and by including non-farmer stakeholders, we can have a larger and stronger voice to improve community development,” Whitelaw said. “Part of our mission is to connect, represent and provide support to young people involved in agricultural industries and rural communities. “AgConnectWA encourages you to become involved and have your say on the future directions of agriculture in

this state. Major sponsor Westpac is helping us with this pursuit, so thank you to Westpac Agribusiness for their generous support." WAFarmers president Dale Park said it was pleasing to see the AgConnectWA side of WAFarmers revamped. “Our young farmers play a vital part in this organisation and all our councils want and need to hear and consider their views,” Park said. “They are the future of agriculture in this state and the policies and decisions undertaken at the moment will directly affect their agricultural careers.”

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Telstra rewards women Women on the land have been urged to participate in 2013 Telstra Business Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Awards. A woman who owns and manages a beef cattle property in southwest Queensland is urging other women working on the land to celebrate their business achievements by entering the 2013 Telstra Business Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Awards. Carolyn Burnes, an awards finalist last year, operates the Quilpie Cattle Spelling Yards, and said women working in agricultural industries bring amazing qualities to the traditionally maledominated area but are often overlooked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a mother of two small children, trying to run a cattle property and three businesses, with minimal staff, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time to celebrate what I have achieved and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it for the purpose of recognition. I just need to get done what has to be done each day and provide for my children as required. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I went ahead with my entry and the rewards have been neverending. If you have the honour of being nominated, please do yourself a favour and submit your entry.â&#x20AC;? Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s survey of awards alumni found three-quarters were mentoring other women. Entries opened on 29 April and can be submitted until Tuesday 25 June, 2013.

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Tractor market in Canada in recovery According to the Tractors and Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing in Canada Industry Market Research Report from IBISWorld, Canada's industry has emerged from its lows driven by global demand. Over the next five years, improving economic conditions worldwide and larger downstream farming operations will stimulate demand for machinery. “When farmers delayed new equipment purchases amid tough domestic and global economic conditions, demand for big-ticket items like large tractors plummeted,” said IBISWorld industry analyst Kevin Boyland. In 2013, revenue is expected to increase 6.1%. As a result, IBISWorld expects revenue to rise at a modest annualized rate of 0.9% over the five years to 2013. Amid a tough economic environment,

tractors and agricultural machinery manufacturing industry firms sought to protect their margins by streamlining their operations. Nonessential employees were laid off, causing the size of the industry’s workforce to decrease at an annualized rate of 1.7% to 11,553 over the five year period. “Wages declined 3.6% per year on average as well, as remaining industry employees worked fewer hours to fill fewer orders,” said Boyland. “These measures served to protect and even grow margins.” The Canadian industry’s heavy reliance on exports, particularly to the United States, led large established US operators to set up shop in Canada. IBISWorld expects mergers and acquisitions to increase industry concentration through the coming five years. International trade is the

lifeblood of the industry: exports account for 65.2% of revenue and imports satisfy 82.3% of domestic demand. The US accounts for 73.8% of all exports and 74.4% of all imports. The industry’s major players all have operations in the US and Canada and move merchandise back and forth. However, rising agricultural investment in newly industrialized countries like Brazil and India is expected to increase exports to these emerging economies. Over the next five years, improving economic conditions worldwide and larger downstream farming operations will stimulate demand for industry machinery abroad and in Canada. Strong global demand for food and biofuels, rising productivity and strong export growth will drive demand for new machinery.

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Exports sales for US ag machinery According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) in the US, the country’s agricultural equipment exports increased 23% in 2011 compared with the previous year for a total US$11 billion of machinery shipped to other nations. This follows export growth of 12% in 2010 after a 2009 decline of 23% in the depths of the recession. The AEM international trade group consolidates US Commerce Department data with other sources into global market reports for members. “The positive global agricultural environment continues to spur business growth for US farm equipment manufacturers,” said Charlie O’Brien, AEM vice president agriculture sector. “Despite uncertainty in some markets, there remains a solid fundamental

demand for food and fuel supplies to meet growing worldwide needs.” AEM and its Make America campaign have pushed for export-friendly policies that create and sustain American jobs. These include free trade agreements such as the USKorea FTA being implemented, which will eliminate export duties on about 80% of US industrial products and about 67% of US farm-related products. Exports by World Regions and Top 10 Countries

Exports to Australia/Oceania led the way in 2011 with a 60% gain as the region took delivery of US$1.2 billion of agricultural equipment. Agricultural machinery exports to South America increased 31% in 2011 with purchases worth US$1.3 billion, and exports of agricultural equipment

to Central America gained 14% and totaled US$1.0 billion. Export sales to Asia grew 17% to total US$937 million for 2011, and Africa’s purchases increased 28% to total US$334 million last year. Exports of agricultural equipment to Europe gained 31% for a total US$2.9 billion in 2011, and export business to Canada grew 10% and totaled US$3.4 billion. The 10 countries buying the most US agricultural machinery in 2011: 1. Canada 2. Australia 3. Mexico 4. Brazil 5. Germany 6. China 7. France 8. Ukraine 9. United Kingdom 10. Russia

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Agribusiness an award winner for CommBank Last year the Commonwealth Bank won CANSTAR gold

CANSTAR named it the Best Value Australia Agribusiness Institution citing strong product offerings across lending and deposits, as well as an array of specialist services to assist agribusiness customers. According to CANSTAR it was a range of services from 250 dedicated agribusiness relationship managers across Australia to its 24hr customer service line as well as involvement with industry bodies and education programs that sealed the deal. CANSTAR said agribusiness customers were well catered for through seasonal finance on crops and livestock, equipment finance and insurance products as well as a suite of risk management tools to allow customers to deal with fluctuating interest rates, currencies and commodity risks. Banks clearly see the agricultural sector as a major area of interest and each tailors products and services. “Clearly asset finance … is what we do everyday,” said Geoff Wearne, executive general manager for regional and agribusiness banking. “In fact we’re actually expanding the specialists that are on ground supporting that and having those discussions – with the farmers. 26

“We’ve currently got about 500 bankers both in the regional and commercial space. We’re in 70 locations across the country and we’ve got roughly 250 people dedicated to agribusiness in the market.” Altogether the bank has around 15,000 agribusiness clients, from farmgate to producers at the very small end of the market right up into the corporate farming world. That’s quite a expansive range to cater for and that’s on top of the fact that agribusiness banking needs to address specific issues in each of the different areas such as horticulture, broadacre farming and livestock as well as suppliers of feedstocks and machinery. It’s a specialist area that could be difficult for mainstream bankers. “Do you create a farmer out of a banker or a banker out of a farmer?,” asked Wearne. “I think it’s the latter, "and where we’re attracting talent is certainly from the universities. We’ve got a robust grad program.” According to Wearne the program tries to hunt down graduates with some affinity with the land, perhaps families or relatives with farms, so that they posses a natural disposition. “They’ve gone through an ag science

degree so they’ve come out of that with that real focus and passion and then we teach them banking,” he said. Like every bank, the Commonwealth is searching new revenue streams and has come up with new initiatives that will benefit the agricultural sector. “There have been some good initiatives around our partnership with low carbon Australia, where farmers who invest in machinery can apply for a grant to subsidise asset finance payments on a 50/50 split,” he said. “We’re the only bank that can do that. It’s called the energy efficient loan, something that’s not well known about in the market place but that's certainly something that can be highlighted as a differentiator.” Looking after customers in the agricultural sector when they are spread far and wide in a very big country is a tricky problem but there are solutions other than giving an employee a car and a fuel card. “We’re looking to be smart around how we innovate and look after our customers. We’ve recently launched video conferencing in our branches. “So a customer can go into a local branch in the country and seek advice in a model where they can actually see someone face-to-face who has expertise in agribusiness. We can’t put people in every location but we connect innovatively through technology advancements." Technology is making life easier for communication but there’s also something to be said for meeting people and understanding their personal needs and interests. “We’re wanting to grow our client base and grow our business so in that context we’re being active with local communities and local industry groups to ensure that our capability is more broadly understood,” said Wearne. “Then we can have more conversations understanding the needs of the farming customer and evolve our business to those needs.”

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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CFMoto finds its Mojo Many years ago mention the words Chinese and motorbike in the same sentence and a pall of doubt would sweep over people’s faces. Nowadays the reaction is very different and one company that has changed that for Australia is Mojo Motorcycles. Mojo was established in 2003 and has been an importer and distributor of a wide range of motorcycles including up-market brands such as KTM. But it’s the company’s range of CFMoto ATVs and UTVs that is gaining ground now. Mojo introduced CF/Moto into Australia in 2007 and at that stage CFMoto was producing 500cc engines in two models of ATVs. There are now 13 models of ATVs and UTVs ranging up to 800cc and in the near future there will be 1000cc versions as well. Australia’s market

“The ATV market in Australia in a broad stroke is pretty much governed by what we’ve seen is a price point in product,” said Dale Hillan, Mojo West Australian and South Australian area manger. “Honda is very dominant in the market because they have a 250cc small articulated ATV but it’s priced at around $7500 which seems to be the price point that most agricultural people go for. “What CFMoto has brought to the ATV market is a bigger bore, larger vehicle that is less expensive than the Honda 250 and has a lot more options like four wheel drive, diff lock four wheel drive and a winch as standard.” He says the company is introducing more agricultural based products in both the CF500 and the X5 with not as much ‘glitz’; they have steel rims, a bullbar and bash plates UTVs, ATVs and ROPS

ATVs or quad bikes like the CF500 are becoming less popular with agricultural users in preference to UTVs or utility vehicles. “The most exciting part of the CFMoto range and the industry is that we see a shift towards the utility vehicle, which is the side-byside with the ute tray at the back and roll over protection systems (ROPS) which is standard with it,” said Hillan. “The agricultural industry has identified that roll over protection is a necessity because quad bikes have had a really bad run with injuring people and causing some deaths. “The ATV has always been a preferred vehicle for the agricultural market because it’s very nimble, it’s hop-on hop-off. We produced a roll over protection system for the ATVs but it appears that in the agricultural industry that they are going for the full roll cage utility vehicle because it is a safer option. CFMoto’s UTVs come out of the factory with the roll cage because they are a side-by-side passenger vehicle and have to have that as standard before coming into Australia. On the ATVs, Mojo has a locally sourced bar that attaches to the back like a sissy bar and stops the ATV from rolling back onto the user. Statistic show most injuries are caused when the ATV goes up an incline that is too steep and the unit rolls back onto the person. The sissy bar stops the vehicle from rolling back and it will sit upright or roll to the side so it won’t injure the person as much.

CF Moto's Lifestyle.

The major other contributing factor is helmets. Hillan confirms that it is a big challenge to get the users of ATVs to wear helmets. These vehicles are not licensed or registered for the road so there is no law forcing the use of a helmet on private property. “We’re a part of the FCAI motorcycle division and there’s been an identity from the government to say that there needs to be something done regarding the safety of the product with roll over protection,” said Hillan. “The other brands in the market have seen that as too much of a threat to the importing of their product without the foresight of sourcing something locally that can be attached to the product. “So we do see why it is necessary, we have seen it needs support from a major manufacturer and we’re the first major manufacturer in the ATV market to come out with a solution to the problem. The others may not like that, but we’ve seen an opportunity to protect the end user.” Market share

Mojo’s CF500 retails for around $6790, but the company is seeing a shift away from that to the X5 farm spec which is around $8500 but comes with extra protection like the bullbar and bash plates. Even at that price Hillan says it is still $4000 or $5000 away from its closest competitor and it doesn’t have those features. “We’ve seen, especially in the agricultural sector, that the farmers who have had a CF500 as now upgrading to the X5 farm spec. They’re comfortable with the brand; they like the reliability and durability of it – so they are our two biggest sellers.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

“We’re seeing a very large shift to the UTV utility market, as you’ve seen today we’re introducing the 800.” Mojo introduced the 800cc engines in March 2013 and hopes to gain a stronger market share with this larger capacity offering. If you look at the overall ATV market CFMoto sits at around 13% market share according to Hillan. If you break that down into the big bore, which is 450cc up, the company is sitting around 18.5% market share but it does differ in each state. In Western Australia it’s around 20% of the market share with 500cc and up, and in South Australia around the 22% market share. Hillan said the company in South Australia is level pegging with Honda at the moment. “If you look at the total ATV market and understand that we are seeing a shift from the smaller CCs to the bigger CC product, we foresee that in the next two years we would like to be the brand leader and to have the majority of market share,” said Hillan. “We would like to see 30-35% of market share over the next two years. I say that because we have more models coming into the range. With the entry-level models we are going to spec them up with more safety and more durability. “That won’t affect the price point too much because it is the price point that we have that is our greatest advantage at the moment."

“We’ve done the baby steps now we’re taking the much larger steps. We’re increasing our spare parts holding in Derrimut over the next six months alongside building a much larger distribution centre. “From currently 2500 square metres we’ll be building a new facility which will be 5000 square metres because we’re just bursting at the seams." Hillan said that two years ago the CF500 was the entry point to get Australians familiar with the product and now the company is after a different market. CF/Moto want to be the 'desirable' product rather than the have-to-have product. “We’ve proven that a product that comes out of China can be good quality and can also be very affordable as well," he said.

Spares and care

From a mechanical point of view the CFMoto product is bullet proof according to Hillan. In the past the plastics were a challenge because they were a lot harder but CFMoto came to the party with a more flexible plastic. Now that plastic is also protected by a wraparound bull bar and bash plates. “In a dairy or cattle environment the cattle do kick the ATV quite a lot and the other brands identified that many years ago, bearing in mind that they’ve had 30 to 40 years of experience where we’ve had four or five years’ experience,” said Hillan. Hillan said that it’s only been in the last two years that the company has focused on strengthening its dealer network in regional areas. “We carry all our components and spare parts at Derrimut, Victoria in our parts warehouse. Our dealers do carry a range of fast moving parts and consumable parts but any component that a dealer needs for a repair we overnight freight to the dealer, so at this point we have a very good fill rate,” he said.

The U8 Lifestyle complete with rear utility tilt tray.

CF Moto's farm spec X5.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

The Bertolini sprayer.

in that time but now the company is doing just over 25,000 per year and is feeling the challenge of a more diversified range with Chinese brands hitting their stride. Serial Offenders

taste test Honda Power Equipment (HPE) offered journalists a taste test of their products in a one-day event held recently in Melbourne. HPE is an original equipment (OEM) supplier to many companies from all over Australia that are manufacturing a diversified product range and got together 17 of them to present their products. Charlie Shultz, general manager for HPE started off the day with a talk gathering together the many threads that are Honda, beginning with worldwide sales figures. These are combined figures for Honda cars, motorcycles and HPE with the company

showing total sales worldwide of 21.5 million products in 2012. Asia is the biggest region for the company and Australia itself sells 230,000 products every year. Car sales for the company have taken a dive in Australia from a high in 2006-2008 of around 60,000 per year to now selling around half that, though the company is about to release diesel versions which it says should bring renewed interest to the marque. Motorcycle sales were strongest in the 2007-2008 period with almost 35,000 sold

Red Gum’s log splitter.

Australia’s power equipment market was strong from 2009 to 2011 but the drought is biting and sales have dropped off significantly. The other thing that is biting into HPE sales is that rogue manufacturers are copying Honda engines and passing them off as the real deal. The company has launched its Serial Offenders campaign to alert people to the problem and advise them on how to check to see if the Honda is an imposter. Engines with ground down or defaced serial numbers may not be genuine and would not be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, are not supported by Honda dealers and may be either counterfeit or stolen – neither of which would be a good thing no matter how cheap they are. Engine Matching Tests

Honda engineer Dale Weeden also explained the benefits of using a Honda engine and provided an indepth look at engine matching tests. Honda conducts these when a powerplant is specified for use in a product such as a pressure cleaner.

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

The QuikSpray unit.

Honda’s stationary engines are matched with the product only after undertaking analysis following power usage, vibration, and operating temperature tests to ensure the engine/product match is ideal. This means a consumer receives a product within its operating limits to perform the task and it is safe, and conforms to Honda’s operational requirements.

Product Demonstrations

From around 10.30am in the morning to late afternoon we spent time in small groups moving from one product demonstration to another with companies using a variety of Honda powerplants including the GX160, GX630, GX200, GX35, GX390 and GX630 –Twin.

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Farmers have their say By Keith Smiley

The Lill family with Argentinian guests.

There's a possible changeover of government later this year, and change usually leads to a ‘honeymoon period’. No matter what government comes into power, farmers and Australia's leaders need to keep pace with innovation. Our stalwart reader-farmers tell us what they see in the crystal ball.

Fire and tempest Stephen Lill, Chadwick Downs, Coonabarabran, NSW You’d be very mistaken if you thought Stephen Lill would go lightly – he is as tough as his breed of cattle, and as responsible as an airline pilot. The fact that the two occupations can go handin-hand is a testament to the past 30 years, showing he is a stayer for crossbred hardy cattle. The Lill family own and run Chadwick Downs on 7000 hectares in 32

Coonabarabran in the New South Wales rural heartland. They breed large beef cattle and pride themselves on the quality of fertility, longevity and constitution, which has found acclaim among local and international breeders. Chadwick Downs includes paddocks at Coonamble in the northwest of NSW, with both properties engaged in

breeding herds of Braford, Red Angus and Red Brangus females, sold through auction and private sale. Founder Stephen does not mince his words. They are direct and pointed. Take the recent firestorms that beset Coonabarabran’s forest: a huge tract of land, some 58,000 hectares, was obliterated under immense and relentless firestorms that engulfed the

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

grassed region. Fifty-one homes were lost and 150 farm buildings destroyed. Stephen asks why? “It is traumatic. The public servants who were meant to put out the fires have cost us $2 million and it is simply disgraceful,” he said. Chadwick Downs had a lot to lose. It is one of the most successful cross-breed farming enterprises in Australia, with a stable herd making this farm the largest breeder of registered Braford cattle. Before the fire raged on its fertile plains, Chadwick was well-placed at the cutting edge of genetics, carrying Australian Angus blood to provide a supply of high performance heavy bulls in the harshest of environments, not only here but in far flung countries like Argentina, South Africa, North America, Nicaragua, Colombia and Paraguay. Chadwick Downs began on an inspiration 30 years ago by Stephen, a Cathay-Pacific airline pilot who believed he knew all about responsibly managing resources. His intense breeding techniques and enterprise flourished throughout the ensuing years until storm and tempest struck. What sticks in his craw and tears at the heart strings for Stephen, is that the "public servants" and the government they represent, could have, in his words, "stopped the fire in its tracks" early this year. He says he wakes up every morning realising that they had let the fire burn for three days without lifting a finger, and with "enormous resources at their disposal". He also consigned it to history that a couple of days off over the weekend and a return to the area for a back-burn, supposedly for containment lines, actually grew the fire into an horrendous storm with a magnitude of 7000 degrees celcius. This is enough to melt aluminium, and vicious enough to eradicate thousands of koalas, kangaroos, birds and farm animals, like his prized bulls and breeders. In his words, “it ruined people’s lives, aspirations, and their pets, because they (public servants) wouldn’t put the fire out." “Interesting times we’re in”, he says with a menacing grimace, still lamenting that which could have been prevented. Many men cried at the sheer devastation

this fire caused but the overwhelming support by locals had everyone in tears. Tough times call for tougher measures, and the Lills, Stephen, wife Elaine and son Martin declare they are in it for the long haul. While there is no shortage of quality cattle on offer, several factors have caused low clearances and low prices being paid for many lots on offer. “A combination of fires in the south, major and widespread floods across much of central Qld and a catastrophic drought in the Gulf country led to far less buyers at sales than anticipated,” said Stephen. The Lills lost half the property, 35 kilometres long and five thousand acres of feed to fire. Nothing was left except for the generosity of neighbours who dispatched truckloads of feed to the remaining 2000 cattle. It started out as a small fire but how did the inferno grow so quickly and destroy so much? Fifty metre trees exploded, falling over like matchsticks no escaping it, no fighting it, running at one and a half kilometres a minute.

“We lost 200 cows, elite cows grown on the best feed,” said Stephen, still reeling at the loss after a couple of months. His son Martin compared their destruction in the land with the killing fields, "walking through the valley of death" during the aftermath of destruction. Bloated cattle lie in the blackened fields, only the wedge tailed eagles in a jubilant mood, picking over the carcases. Like his dad, Martin loves his cows and their progeny. Two month-old calves were seen wandering around seeking out their mothers.

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

“They exploded in the paddock and some of these animals are the size of a small car,” said an exasperated Stephen. The fire raged for more than a week burning 90% of the Warrumbungle forest. “Red Valentino, our leading Red Brangus bull, sheltered in the dry Castlereagh River and we are now treating him at home for burns to 40% of his body,” said Stephen. Described as one of the most genetically influential bulls of his breed, Red Valentino is considered a ‘super stud’, one of the most prized Red Brangus bulls in the country. After they discovered him resting in the creek, they brought him home to a feedlot and plenty of fans and aloe vera spray, to cool him down from his fiery wounds, which included severe burns to his flanks and eyelids. “It has been just amazing, the support and offers of assistance from our friends, relatives, neighbours and community during this time. The near endless arrival of food for the ‘front line troops’

at the house was wonderful. Elaine had also been busy with the food and accommodation support,” said Stephen. Without admitting culpability, and subject to a coronial enquiry, the government also claims a statutory immunity. The Lills are concerned about running their property close to the Warrumbungle National Park where they believe undergrowth is not being adequately cleared. “Anyone who lives next to a national park is going to see their insurance premiums go through the roof after this,” he says. Despite the trauma of the fires and a tough market due to a combination of flood and fire, Chadwick Downs performed reasonably well, topping the Brangus sales section with a Red Stridant. “We love to breed these cattle because they are beautifully balanced, having a good carcase and easy-going ability,” said Stephen. Recovery will take years. Alongside burnt

sheds, tractors, and 800 km of fencing, the jewel in Chadwick’s crowning past, the historic Glenmore Homestead, probably can never be replaced. The stock will be restocked as many were saved. Hundreds of Brangus cows and calves perished during this catastrophic summer. “With the generous support of many family, friends, companies and strangers, we will rebuild Glenmore and Chadwick Downs Red Brangus,” said a drained but upbeat Stephen Lill, a common thread found in the Lills. Their story is one of courage to begin again what they started three decades earlier. Fortunately none of the staff was injured during the fires and their stock of semen is intact. Chadwick Downs is intricately involved in breeding the bulls that will provide the semen. With intestinal fortitude, experienced and highly trained staff such as an embryologist, vet, and other specialists at the ready, Chadwick Downs can only look forward.

Tap stock and bale Kym Falting, Taplan, South Australia West of Victoria’s border, and 20km outside of Loxton, on flat country, Taplan presents a picture of continuing success for five generations of Falting farmers. Stranger than fiction, Taplan is where the heavy metal group, Octanic, made its post-apocalyptic video clip because a band member had grown up there and said it would be perfect for the shot – but that is where the comparison ends. The town was laid out by Henry George in 1914 and is smack in the middle of the Murray Mallee region, with its Aboriginal name meaning ‘grass tree’. Although Taplan had been affected by strip rust in the past, the Faltings keep their crops close to the heart, and their lambs close to their ewes. The area has had its share of drought and disease and a lowish rainfall of 10 inches a year, which owner Kym Falting says he "battles to get". Kym ‘s business partner is his brother Dean and by all accounts they get on really well, which says something about his predecessors who set up a succession plan and a good family life to boot. With such a large property of 12,500 acres, most of it useable, the Faltings breed 1100 ewes, cropping on 7000 acres, while the other 5500 acres go back to pasture, sprayed out for the following crop. The biggest problem they face is feeding their sheep. 34

The area has had some unusual summer rainfall for the past two years, although it is part of a changing pattern, and most likely, difficult to predict. “My dad Malcolm and his brother Hedley used to farm sheep before they died. His grandparents before that also farmed sheep, and the great grandparents, both from Germany, took a punt on the land quality and never looked back,” he said. Kym said he would love to visit Germany but not before visiting his wife Andrea’s native Scotland. A visit to the local cemetery reveals a Germanic past with some epitaphs unreadable if you don’t speak the language. At 45, Kym is unhurried in life, but goes about his business in a methodical way.He is training up his son Matthew who is doing a year 12-apprentice course – four days a week on the farm and one at school. Dean’s son Ashley has completed his year 12 in the same course and is now working on the Taplan property. The youngsters also get on "really well". Kym and Andrea’s daughter Shannon is in year 10 and too early to know what will become her chosen career. Dean’s elder son Braden works in Loxton, to the north. The farm has grown since Kym’s youngest brother decided to leave and live in Millicent. Dean and Kym bought his share.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

The Falting's tractor working the 7000 acres.

They purchased a further 2000 acres as well as larger and newer machinery for the demands of their Taplan venture. Kym’s foray into engineering as a youth has no doubt helped inform his decisions to purchase the right equipment. “I began building silos including a pig shed for Chapman’s Piggery,” reminisced Kym. The Faltings are watching from the sidelines whether they will venture into growing canola like their neighbours. There have been mixed results in Taplan: some weathered out with the unexpected rain and some land was considered too dry to sustain such a cash crop. “Many are trying canola but much of it frosted ... I am keeping an eye on canola to see its worth,” Kym said. “We haven’t joined up with the agronomists and we are doing well (without them). We have one of the highest wheat yields in the area.” Kym is not excitable. He may be a little quiet but has a sense of humour. He may appear stoic but there is a stream of consciousness that distinguishes his practicality above all, and family runs deep within his veins. His forebears would have found it tough in the rugged countryside and with a foreign language, but that steely nerve fibre has kept the place going to its full potential. He has given his share to the football club and on the CFS fire service, but he likes to hang out with his neighbour, watch footy, together with his passion for fishing, which flows like the rivers and seawater which keeps them afloat. “I love fishing for callop or golden perch in the rivers or King George whiting or blue crabs in the sea,” he says with a wink. AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

LAW REVIEW

Is your word your bond? By Warwick Gilbertson, Partner Turnbull Hill Lawyers Do you make promises and agreements as to how you and your parents, children or your brothers and sisters shall benefit or share in the use of land? Have you at the shearing shed or farm gate discussed a business arrangement, which involves the use of land, expenditure of money and the earning of income? The arrangements you make in this ‘ad hoc’ manner may have an impact on whether land that is legally owned is actually the land you can use exclusively. Lawyers (such as the author) use wonderful expressions of proprietary estoppel, resulting trusts, implied and constructive trusts. To describe these promises and agreements generally: • Estoppel is that a person is prevented from denying the existence of a series of facts, which he has previously asserted are true; • Proprietary Estoppel exists where a promise has been made upon which it was intended to create a legal relationship and that was acted on by the person to whom the promise was made at their cost. This all sounds confusing but its effect can be dramatic. What it means is that the person who owns land may be required by law to hold that land in trust for the benefit of the person to whom the promise was made. In an English case of ‘Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd’ in 1956 the Judge of the court said amongst other things, “there are cases in which a promise was made which was intended to create legal relations and which, to the knowledge of the person making the promise, was going to be acted on by the person to whom it was made, and which was in fact so acted upon. In such cases the court has said that the promise must be "honoured”. 36

In other words that there are circumstances in which "your word is your bond". Should a court be of the opinion that your promise is binding then it will act on it. Courts have in the past made orders that the legal owner of the land transfer the property to the person to whom the promise and assurances were made; or grant to the person to whom the promise was made a form of use of the land that interferes with the owner’s use of the land. It all depends on the promise made, the expectation created, the action of both the person making the promise and the person receiving the promise and the financial detriment suffered by the person to whom the promise was made. This is not just a lawyer’s flight of fancy. It is a principle of law that has significant practical implications for rural families who deal with each other in relation to the use of rural holdings. To help you to understand the impact of these legal principles this article sets out two real life examples. Firstly, there was a case of “Bill”. Bill commenced legal proceedings seeking a declaration that the two family properties A and B were subject to his right to use the land and his interest in them. Bill brought proceedings on the death of his mother who under her Will had left all her interest in properties A and B to Bill’s father. The family didn’t get on. Included as parties to the case were Bill’s father, a family company, a family trust and Bill’s brother. The issue for the court were the promises and assurances made to Bill. The court decided that both properties A and B, although left in the Will to Bill’s father, were held by Bill’s father on trust for Bill to the tune of 37.5% now and a further 12.5% upon his father’s death. In other words, upon his father’s death Bill would become a 50% owner of both properties. This was despite the fact that Bill’s mother’s Will left all those assets to her husband.

Secondly, in 2006 the Supreme Court of New South Wales dealt with a common situation where children had purchased a property for their parents who did not have a great deal of money. The children borrowed the money. It was agreed that their parents would construct the home and contribute to meeting part of the mortgage payments. The family had a falling out and the children sought to sell the home. They were the legal owners of the property subject to the mortgage and were meeting mortgage payments. The parents had built the home without remuneration and were contributing to the mortgage payments as agreed. The court prevented the sale of the home even though the children were the legal owners. The court refused to allow the children to go back on their promise to their parents. In neither instance were the arrangements documented in a form that clearly set out the agreement. The court recognised the existence of what was an oral binding representation and promise. This could happen to you depending on what form of representation you have made, the reliance placed upon it by the person you made the promise to and the degree to which they have been financially disadvantaged. The moral of this story is, “your word may be your bond”. When dealing with family members be careful what you promise. Depending on what you have said, what they do and what occurs, the following are clear possibilities: You may be forced to hold your legal interest in land subject to the benefit of the person you made the promise to. You could be forced to transfer your ownership of land to the child, parent or family member to whom you made the promise. You could create a right to reside in the property for a specific or unspecific time. You could be prevented from removing a person from living in the property or prevent them from using it.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

In addition there is the break down of family relationships. Parents and children refusing to speak to each other, arguments at the farm gate as to who can have access. Should you have made such a promise or have been the recipient of such a promise you would do well to speak to your advisors. Call Turnbull Hill Lawyers on freecall 1800 994 279, or direct 02 4904 8000 or visit www.turnbullhill.com.au.

Warwick Gilbertson City born and country raised Warwick Gilbertson understands people as much as he understands the law. It is this combination of talents coupled with 30 years of experience that has seen Warwick become a sought after advisor regarding wills, powers of attorney, guardianship, trusts, companies, superannuation funds, business entities and the claims that can be made upon them. He was admitted into practice in 1980 and is now a partner at Turnbull Hill Lawyers in charge of estate planning, contested wills and the family law teams. As a person who cares greatly about others it comes as no surprise that Gilbertson 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 a vital component of their broader planning and risk management strategies. Gilbertson sees this planned approach to risk minimisation as a key service for his clients. His accreditation as a family law specialist is testimony to his expertise in dealing with property settlements, especially those that involve the added complexity of partnerships, companies, trusts and self managed super funds. He has extensive experience in contested wills and estate cases in the Equity and Probate Divisions of the Supreme Court.. Gilbertson moved to Newcastle in 2003 to join the team at Turnbull Hill Lawyers. He is currently a Chair of the Bishop Tyrell Anglican College Council and a Member of the Board of Directors at The Business Centre (Newcastle).

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What’s New in Finance Greener pastures: the opportunity for Australian and New Zealand farmers By Mark Bennett, Head of Agribusiness, ANZ Regional Business Banking We all know Australia is well positioned to become a major supplier of food and fibre to Asia; we’ve been talking for some time about how rising incomes and changing diets in places like China and India are a great opportunity for us here in Australia. The opportunities are widespread and span across Australian agribusiness. The benefits can be experienced at the farm-gate, at farm machinery dealerships and along the entire supply chain.

its share of challenges. It’s probably fair to say it has lost some momentum. The drought was tough and had a big impact on our productivity and output. However, it would be a mistake to only attribute the decline in productivity to just seasonal conditions. ‘Greener pastures’ confirms that Australia’s international competitive position has eroded. There is no silver bullet but rather a series of targeted actions that we all need to take and get right. At an industry level this includes getting access to export markets, the right skills and people, having better technology and improving the way we tackle R&D. But change is also needed on our farms. Raising capital

Capital is an issue and investing to achieve efficiency gains and improvements has been difficult. Coupled with labour shortages, A report commissioned by ANZ titled ‘Greener Pastures: The land and water challenges and rising costs means our farmers have Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New their work cut out for them. Zealand’, highlights not only how large this opportunity is but also Rightly, our farmers are lamenting about how to break the cycle the challenges Australian agriculture is facing. The report suggests of high debt and high costs, but it’s a vicious circle that requires steps to consider to make the most of what’s on offer. further capital investment to support turnover and future growth. Agriculture is one of our most important sectors has faced 11:06Capital can come from multiple sources, but we should also mcdougall weldments remade:Layout 1 and 18/05/2010 AM be considering more innovative ways with how we receive it. Farmers will reinvest retained earnings and also look to banks for further support, but alternative farming structures such as equity partnerships or corporate sector funding should be considered. Increasing the investment in our farms is vital if we are to improve our productivity but importantly also in helping us access export markets like China and India. Greener pastures

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There also needs to be an acknowledgement that our industry must look beyond domestic sources of capital. Some will have to come from overseas neighbours and we will need new accommodating business models and structures to help aid this process. While the list of issues agriculture needs to address is daunting, we should all have a conversation about what needs to be done. For farmers, this includes not just being good farm producers, but also being good farm business managers. This involves for example, having good financial performance data to help decision-making and engaging specialists in farm business management. Great work is already underway at the farm-gate level, but the key is to have everyone in the agricultural industry working towards a shared vision of what’s needed in order to not only raise awareness but to take action and drive change. Agriculture is one of Australia’s most vital industries and is being presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity that’s right on our doorstep. Let’s not let it pass us by. 'The Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand’ is a report from Port Jackson Partners, commissioned by ANZ, and can be found at www.anz.com/insight.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Local manufacturers are vital for agriculture By John Henchy, Executive Officer of the Farm Machinery & Industry Association of WA

If it were not for the local manufacturers who design, adopt and manufacture the many Australian innovations in agricultural machinery we would be nowhere as efficient as we are today. While the majority of machinery is made overseas it is the local products, additions and modifications that made the difference in the way we use equipment and ultimately make us the efficient producers that we are. While millions of dollars are spent by large companies on research and development, most of their products are a compromise trying to satisfy the many

and varied markets into which they are sold worldwide, so it is thankful that we have so many people with expertise to design local products and enhance performance of those produced overseas. No-till rig

The big stand out for local production is the air seeder/no-till rig; this product has evolved and in many respects has been way ahead of its imported counter parts who have struggled to keep up. Overseas manufacturers tend to assume that if it works in their country it will

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

work in Australia and in many cases it does but it is our faster working speeds, drier working conditions and our keenness to adopt technology, which challenges some of the overseas designs. For example no-till or minimum till was first muted some quarter of a century ago but it was the locals who saw the advantage of the knife point over the disc which has probably done more for low rainfall farming than any other invention. Knife point accuracy

With the knife point’s ability to handle trash and place fertiliser where it was needed it also opened itself up for the introduction of liquid fertilisers which have helped revolutionise the application of nutrients. Local design of liquid fertiliser applicators encouraged the modification of overseas air seeders and in some cases these manufacturers are now using Australian designs. The ability of boom sprays to work at 20-30kph often blows the minds of some overseas manufacturers but the locals are not fazed and have developed products to cope-thus the innovative dual line boom to cater for higher application rates at faster speeds. This was not only important for insecticides and herbicides but for liquid fertiliser applications and of course with large acreage the 45m (150’) coverage was a natural progression.

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Once again the need for accurate application of liquid fertilisers saw the local development of some very high tech rate controllers that are now being used by overseas manufacturers. Technology leaders

Technology has never been something that fazed the locals either. Looking back over the last 15 or 20 years or so it was the locals who developed guidance which was embraced by local farmers and they were way ahead of their overseas counter parts who didn’t have the need for accuracy because they got paid whether they were efficient or not. In fact the local designers were so successful with their guidance development that many of them have now been absorbed into overseas companies. Harvest in Australia has always been a challenge with our lighter crops and faster operating speed so it was locals who came up with wider platforms. While the overseas operators were pushing the envelope with 10m (36’) equipment we were seeing 14m (45’) fronts being designed and now it is not uncommon to hear of 15m (50’) and even talk of 18m (60’). It was also the lighter crops that saw the design of modified guards (fingers) capable of gathering all sorts of crops from lupins to sorghum to wheat barley and oats. Again with lighter crops and higher speeds the overseas fronts found it hard to do the job without loss over the front. With a grain-receiving infrastructure that is hard pressed to keep up with the increased capacity of big combines it was again for the local manufacturers to produce higher capacity chaser and field bins, and where grain is required to be dried to have an ability to match the combine output. We could go on and talk about the large capacity grain and fertiliser semis that have superseded the 5-in-1 bin and recount the many varieties of prickle chain and higher performance pick-up fronts but space is limited. Australian ingenuity

All we can conclude from this quick snap shot on Australian ingenuity is that without it Australian agriculture would be a mere shadow of what we have today, if it weren’t for the many talented people who generally work unrecognised in rural areas. We see billions of dollars thrown at the automobile industry, which is owned overseas, but when it comes to supporting the many people who contribute to the success of agriculture in Australia we neither support verbally or with money. The question we should ask is if it were not for the local, unsupported, manufacturers where would we be? The answer is that Australian agriculture would have to compete with the same tools as our competitors and as a result we would lose our current considerable advantage, an advantage given us by all those local men and women who have had a vision and done something about it!

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

My view Priorities for farmers in this election year By Jock Laurie Jock Laurie has just stepped down from his position as president of the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) to run for pre-selection for the National Party in the New South Wales seat of Northern Tablelands. He is a grazier from Walcha and was elected as president of the NFF in 2010. This is a big year for Australian agriculture. With the federal election just five months away, we will be working to place agriculture where it should be: at the forefront of Australia’s priorities. The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) released its election priorities for the year – the areas in which action has to happen now to ensure future success for the agricultural sector. These priorities complement the work outlined in our Blueprint for Australian Agriculture, which was released in February. The five key priorities are: • Growing Australian Agriculture: reprioritising agriculture in the national agenda. Key actions required: a commitment to implement Blueprint priorities and to increase agriculture’s share of the federal budget. • Investing in RD&E: driving innovation and productivity through increased investment in agriculture RD&E. Key action required: increasing total Government expenditure on R&D by one percent (of total government expenditure on R&D) by 2015. • Increasing competitiveness and profitability: ensuring we are a globally competitive and our farmers remain profitable. Key actions required: reduction of red tape through harmonisation of state/ federal regulations; ensuring fair competition through delivering the balance of market power; and driving investment in infrastructure needed

by our farmers. • Building a stronger workforce: encouraging greater uptake of agricultural careers and delivering improved labour solutions. Key actions required: embedding agriculture into the national curriculum and improving flexibility to allow individual flexibility agreements to be completed preemployment. • Balancing agriculture and the environment: ensuring our natural resources can continue to be managed while also increasing agricultural production. Key actions required: ensuring infrastructure and other efficiency measures are in place prior to any water purchases in the MurrayDarling Basin; and helping farmers to improve preparedness and response to extreme climactic events including an overhaul of drought support measures. The next term of government will be a crucial time for agriculture, with projected demand for food increasing monumentally in the lead up to 2050, growing pressure to address the issue of agriculture’s ageing workforce, and an ever-increasing need to enhance our sustainable farming practices. The next three years will be incredibly important in helping to address these major issues. But beyond the next three, or even five or 10 years, greater attention needs to be paid to the big issues facing our agriculture industry in the lead up to 2050. Our Blueprint for Australian Agriculture is the first industry-developed plan for the future of Australia’s farm sector and its supply chain – the first plan developed by agriculture, for agriculture. The Blueprint takes a holistic approach to planning for Australian agriculture in a way that addresses all aspects of the industry. It incorporates the views of almost 4000 industry stakeholders, from farmers to agribusinesses, transporters, processors and retailers – the whole

agricultural supply chain, including the tractor and machinery sector, through the input of the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia. But the work is far from over. We can now move into the next phase of the Blueprint – committing the findings into actions. The first stage of this will be a series of forums held by the NFF throughout the year, bringing the key decision-makers in agriculture and the supply chain together to drive the Blueprint forward. And, as we move into the election cycle, the NFF will be ensuring that these important matters are brought to the attention of politicians and the public alike – and that the proper thought and time is given to agriculture issues. Despite the ever-changing nature of Australian politics, Australian agriculture has a long, proud tradition of providing for our country, and we at the NFF aim to see it continue to do so.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

TMA News Looking through the windscreen – not the rear vision mirror By Richard Lewis, Executive Director Tractor & Machinery Association of Australia The last couple of years have been, for the most part, fairly strong for sales and support of agricultural machinery in Australia. Importers have taken advantage of favourable currency, while dealers and local manufacturers have been able to meet the strong demand across most sectors. So where to from here? Most of the macro factors that have influenced the farm machinery sector remain intact – relatively strong commodity prices and good growing conditions. So too do our challenges remain of a tough labour market and difficult regulatory changes such as environmental and OH&S changes that have made it more expensive to conduct business in this sector. As a result, the Tractor and Machinery Association will be focusing on areas and issues that look into doing business in the future – some issues are of a short term nature and some longer term, yet each one important to all the stakeholders of our industry, whether it be dealers, manufacturers, importers or companies affiliated with our industry. The Top 10 TMA target issues over the next two years include: • continuous monitoring of regulations and guidelines that impact the farm machinery industry • a louder voice to government and regulators on issues that impact our industry • continue to build a strong network of businesses and services that can improve our industry • attract, develop and retain people within our industry • maintain the standards or safety of the industry both in the workplace and for our machinery • promote the industry to outside investment and opportunities 42

•w ork closely with dealers and suppliers on how to do business into the future using digital media and other developing tools •p rovide the sales data and therefore the market information for the industry with the help of Agriview •p rovide the industry’s only annual conference where the key stakeholders can come together and exchange ideas •w ork with other industry groups where possible to develop a broader footprint on issues impacting our industry. Over the next years we will experience significant changes to the way we do business, from dealer to customer to manufacturer and importer. Never before have traditional channels to market been challenged as they will with the internet, parallel importing, cheap and substandard products imported and sold, and a change in attitude from end users. We must strive continually to add value and, more importantly, the customer must perceive that the value exists. These are exciting and challenging times, and frankly we will probably lose a few businesses along the way, however our risk is that we stand still and do nothing. We must develop new ways of conducting our business with our customers, and adapt to the change that is happening in our world. In the meantime, we will continue to provide safer, more productive and more efficient machinery into the Australian market place, and more than any other advancement over the past 25 years, mechanization will continue to drive the productivity of the Australian farmer. The TMA is very conscious of its responsibility as the industry leader and will continue to push the boundaries and question decisions on behalf of our members.

Richard Lewis, executive director of the Tractor and Machinery Association.

FMIA on board with TMA The Farm Machinery & Industry Association of WA (FMIA) now has a seat on the board of the TMA. This follows hot on the heels of the formation of the FMIA from the Farm Macinery Dealers Association (FMDA) and Western Australian Regional Manufacturers (WARM). The decision to nominate for a seat was due to the need for representation for the farm mechanisation industry at a national level. President of the FMIA Alan Fisher said the benefits from forming the FMDA and WARM groups into the FMIA led to the same rationale being applied to joining the TMA. It was an essential building block to enable the industry to speak with one voice. As a national lobby group the organisation is able to provide a touchstone for government on future legislation that may afffect the farm machinery industry. Fisher said that as Australia looks at the growth forecast for agriculture it needs to ensure the farm mechanisation industry is properly positioned.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Power take off for Bare Co

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Power Take Off or PTOs are a great invention but they can be great at creating havoc and injury too. Australia's Bare Co has solved the problem and is selling its invention overseas. “I’m not skiting or anything but I actually did invent it and designed it myself,” said Bare Co managing director Allan Bare, who is an automotive engineer by trade. About six years ago he came up with the product as the company sourced one from Europe but it had shortcomings. “Then of course the difficult thing is we had to do a lot of testing: it’s quite complicated testing and we had to build a machine and had to go through all the testing. So we did all that and then it’s just been a runaway success,” he said. The safety guard is made in Australia and Bare is justifiably proud not only of his invention but of the results. “By now it would have saved a few people because quite a few thousand guards have gone out,” he said. “Our big volume into Europe has only been in the last two years. We set up distributors. It wasn’t too bad (to set up) because with the internet they’d looked … and knew what was there and it just sort of took off that way,” said Bare. “America was a bit slower … they’ve come on board now and we’re getting quite a few into that market.” About 90% of Australian manufacturers put the Bare Co safety device on PTO shafts. “Our big selling point is the guard will fit virtually every brand of shaft in the world. We say virtually in case someone has some Chinese thing that’s been made up,” he said. “If they’ve got any old machine where the guard is damaged and dangerous the farmer can just take this one home and he knows it will fit every brand.” About 80% of overseas sales are for the safety device alone, but slowly Bare says his company is starting to get them to buy the whole PTO shaft as well. “We’ve got some special things on our shaft so we believe it’s the best shaft and it works well,” he said. Roughly between 15-20% of total Bareco sales of the guard go overseas. “It’s a good indication that we’ve got something. We’ve got some pretty big competitors in the world but so far they haven’t come up with an answer to it. That’s what you need these days, you’ve got to have something different,” said Bare. “We supply just about every tractor dealer in Australia. That takes a bit of doing, you’ve got to have a good name to do that. We channel everything out through the farm

machinery dealers but we don’t sell to a mobile mechanic or a farmer, we only supply through the dealers. “We’ve got a pretty good name with the dealers by doing the right thing by them and it is an enormous amount of inventory we’ve got. “We’ve got eight branches in Australia. If the accountants were running it they’d say pull it back to three branches but the service is important. If they break an axle in Western Australia then it takes a few days to get it from the east so having it there it is quite an advantage." Bare’s father started the business in 1944 and Allan says he’s only been there full time since 1960 so he’s a new boy. “When dad started the company it was agricultural. Actually he served his apprenticeship with International Harvester, way back, and then in about 1938 we sold Ferguson tractors. That’s where we got into it and then after that we were reconditioning the tractors, and we got into spare parts and it just grew from there. It was just spare parts then the manufacturing came along,” said Bare. And by the looks of things it won’t stop there as the company is already making headway into new markets overseas, which for an Australian manufacturer is quite an achievement in this climate with a rising dollar and high wage costs. That just proves a good product will always find a ready market.

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AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Head Office | 11/493 South Street, Toowoomba, QLD 4350

2013 FIELD DAYS CALENDAR JUNE 4-6 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 20-22 Primax Primary Industry Exhibition Bruxner Highway, Casino, NSW Ph: 07 5531 4600 E: info@primex.net.au W: www.primex.net.au 12-15 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

JULY 4 BCG Grains Research Expo Birchip P12 School, Campbell St. Birchip Ph: 03 5492 2787 E: info@bcq.org.au W: bcq.org.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 13-14 Mudgee Small Farm Field Days Mudgee, NSW Ph: 02 6372 3899 W: www.arec.com.au 15-17 Winetech Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW W: www.winetechexpo.com.au 19-21 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

19-21 Farm Fantastic Outdoor Expo Contact: Lance Biatchford 530 Punicestone Rd, Caboolture, Qld Ph: 0418 153 394 E: admin@goexpo.com.au W: www.goexpo.com.au

JULY/August 31-1 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

August

4-5 Newdegate Machinery Field Days Contact: Anne Bishop Newdegate, WA Ph: 08 9871 1655 E: nfday@westnest.com.au W: www.nfday.com.au 6-7 Berry Small Farm Field Day Berry Showground, Berry NSW Ph: 02 4403 0300 E: info@berrysmallfarmfieldday.com.au W: www.berrysmallfarmfieldday.com.au 12 BCG Crop Growing Field Day TBA Ph: 03 5492 2787 E: info@bcq.org.au W: bcq.org.au

5-6 Sheepvention Hamilton Showgrounds, Hamilton, VIC Ph: 03 5572 2563 E: info@hamiltonshowgrounds.com.au W: www.sheepvention.com

17-19 Henty Field Days Cookardinia Road Henty, NSW Ph: 02 6929 3305 E: hmfd@telstra.com W: www.hmfd.com.au

20-22 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

18-19 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

28-29 Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days Dowerin, WA Ph: 08 9631 1021 E: info@dowerinfielddays.com.au W: www. dowerinfielddays.com.au

19-20 Mingenew Expo Contact: Kym McGlinn Midlands Rd, Mingenew, WA Ph: 08 9928 1138 E: secretary@mingenewexpo.com.au W: www.mingenewexpo.com.au

september 3-5 Heritage Bank Ag Show Ph: Damon Phillips Toowoomba Showgrounds, Toowoomba, QLD Ph: 07 4634 1155 E: perwin@agshow.com W: www.agshow.com.au

24-26 York Peninsula Field Days Contact: Elaine Bussenschutt Copper Coast Highway, Paskeville, SA Ph: 08 8827 2040 E: ypfd@netypt.com.au W: www.ypfielddays.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

2013 FIELD DAYS CALENDAR 25-26 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 22-2 Royal Melbourne Show Contact: RASV Administrator Melbourne Show Grounds, Epsom Road, Melbourne, VIC Ph: 03 9281 7444 E: customerservice@rasv.com.au W: www.royalshow.com.au

October 1-3 Elmore Field Days Few minutes drive east from Elmore along the Midland Highway, VIC Ph: 03 5432 6176 E: info@elmorefielddays.com.au W: www.elmorefielddays.com.au 10-18 Royal Launceston Show Foster Street, Launceston, TAS Ph: 03 6331 6044 E: royaltonshow@bigpond.com W: www.launcestonshowground.com.au

28-5 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

1351756

– F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

11-12 Wandin Silvan Field Days Contact: Nan Cleven Wandin East Recreation Reserve, Wandin, VIC Ph: 0429 428 537 E: info@wandinsilvanfielddays.com.au W: www.wandinsilvanfielddays.com.au

19-20 Murrumbateman Field Days Contact: Kim Williams Murrumbateman, NSW Ph: 02 6227 5895 E: admin@mfdays.com W: www.mfdays.com 17-20 Royal Geelong Show Contact: Administration Geelong Showgrounds, Breakwater Road, East Geelong, VIC Ph: 03 5221 1707 E: info@royalgeelongshow.org.au W: www.royalgeelongshow.com.au 23-26 Royal Hobart Show Hobart Showgrounds, Howard St, Glenorchy Ph: 03 6272 6812 E: admin@hobartshowground.com.au W: www.hobartshowground.com.au/show 24-26 Australian National Field Days 563 Borenore Road, Borenore, NSW Ph: 02 6362 1588 E: info@anfd.com.au W: www.anfd.com.au

31st MINGENEW LIONS EXPO MIDWEST September 19th & 20th, 2013 W h e re i n d u s t r y a n d f a r m e r s m e e t a n d m i n g l e

Showcasing: agriculture • education • health • lifestyle & general interest products Be entertained and informed at this years 2013 Mingenew Expo

EXHIBITOR APPLICATION NOW OPEN

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Call (08) 9928 1138 Fax (08) 9928 1212

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

2013 FIELD DAYS CALENDAR

– F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N

Farm World of agricultural sustainability Farm World at Larnder Park was held in late March and was full to overflowing with exhibitors and attendees. More than 700 exhibitors provided every imaginable service and product that would appeal to farming communities. This year’s theme of agricultural sustainability focused on how farmers can use resources more efficiently and responsibly with the aim of improving farm profitability and achieving positive environmental outcomes. On the Commonwealth Bank arena a working draught horse display showed the power and strength of these mighty animals but these weren’t the only demonstrations. Others of a very different kind were sawmilling by Lucas Mill, fencing by OneSteel and Yamaha safe rider training. Health services for people on the land were also a feature with a free Pitstop for men providing a simple health check, and a Hear to Help service was provided by the Wimmera Hearing Society. Following the success of the inaugural Ladies Day – Women in Agriculture last year, the event again celebrated the important role women play in this industry. A special Women In Agriculture luncheon was held with a program that included guest speakers. Sue PietersHawke, the daughter of Bob and Hazel Hawke, a professional speaker and ambassador for Alzheimer’s Australia with Deb Bain, the 2007 Australian Rural Woman of the Year, a wool and lamb producer and founder of the national Farm Day initiative promoting farming families, both spoke at the lunch.

Mark Cotterell, Lardner Park CEO. As a major sponsor of Farm World it was up to the Commonwealth Bank to officially open the event on Friday March 22. Other event partners were Evans Petroleum BP and the Baw Baw Shire Council. “It was my pleasure to be officially opening Farm World this year. The Commonwealth Bank has been a major sponsor for nearly 30 years,” said Geoff Wearne, Commonwealth Bank executive general manager for regional and agribusiness banking “This year the theme of agricultural sustainability is important to the whole agricultural industry and certainly something we care about,” said Wearne. “The future of farming will rely on sustainable practices and innovative ideas to address changing needs. “I’ve seen a lot of fantastic ideas around innovation and sustainability here at Farm World”. Several awards were presented at the opening ceremony, which was very well attended. First off the rank was the Evans Petroleum BP Best Farm Machinery/ Automotive Stand award. The finalists were Claas Harvest Centre East Gippsland, John Deere and Vin Rowe Farm Machinery. Claas Harvest Centre won this significant award.

Richard Lewis, executive director of the Tractor and Machinery Association.

The Commonwealth Bank presented the second award for the Best Agriculture Stand, presented for a product or service to improve farm productivity. This was only the second time this award was presented. Its intent is to promote products to improve productivity, as well as make the workplace safer. This year the winner was GEA Farm Technologies that developed a

Official opening and awards

“Farm World is about the future and assisting farmers in making future buying decisions. We hope this year’s theme – agricultural sustainability, aims at using resources more efficiently will assist farmers both in improving their farm profitability as well as achieving positive environmental outcomes,” said 46

Paul Holdaway of Landpower and Anthony Blackshaw of Harvest Centre.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

C L bo os ok E 3 ing 1m s AY

50 Years 2013 Elmore

Field

Days October 1-3

Celebrating

Were you at the 1964 Elmore Field Days?

(03) 5432 6176

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Yes, 2013 will be our 50th consecutive annual exhibition. Current exhibitors should now be in receipt of our 2013 Prospectus . . . we look forward to your participation in this milestone event!

ExPrEssion of intErEst form for new applicants now available (see our website or call our office)

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

Farm World had every imagninable piece of farming equipment from the very large to hand tools. TMA Machinery Awards product to separate the solid waste from the Year awards – two awards – one for the

the liquid waste as it comes out of the diary shed. Baw Baw Shire Council presented the Best General Interest award, which was won by St Margaret’s School/Berwick Grammar School.

Finally, TMA executive director Richard Lewis presented the Tractor & Machinery Association of Australia awards. These were the Farm World Machine of

The Keltec baler, the award winner for non powered machinery.

Best Powered Machine and one for Best Unpowered Machine. “It’s been an interesting year in the machinery sector,” said Lewis. “For the second year running we’ve put out 11,500 new tractors in the marketplace around Australia and 2500 combines over the last couple of years. There was $3.5 million worth of sales and we employed 40,000 odd thousand people. “We’ve got a group of very dedicated importers, manufacturers and dealers. It’s been a tough year in this part of the world and that has a knock-on effect for our local dealers and manufacturers. “It costs a lot of money to come to a field day and the fact that we’re all still here and exhibiting with magnificent stands like the boys from the Harvest Centre that won the stand of the year. I think it shows excellent support for the community and for Gippsland.” Lewis announced the Claas Axiom 930 tractor – the largest front wheel assist horsepower tractor in Australia, imported

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

F I E L D D AY S S E C T I O N by Landpower and sold through the Claas Harvest Centre Group, as the winner of the Best Powered Machine. Paul Holdaway, Landpower Australia sales specialist, accepted the award. “Axiom 900 is a new horsepower sector for Claas, one we've not been in before,” said Holdaway. “Now it fills our tractor range from 75hp to 525hp. So this new tractor we’ve won the award with is a horsepower sector 320 to 410, which is important to us for our broadacre market and also in Gippsland for our contractors. It’s an all rounder so we can go mowing, but we can do multiple tasks with it.” The second award was for the Best NonPowered Machine. “The second award, which I’m particularly pleased about, has gone to a local company – the Keltec bale slicer,” announced Lewis. “A product made in Ireland, it particularly peaked our interest because of the safety factor. It allows farmers to feed out silage

Lardner Park in Gippsland has great facilities including a very large hall.

without getting out of the cab of their tractor.” The bale slicer is imported and sold in Gippsland by Gendore Tractor &

Machinery who accepted the award. The Keltec bale slicer grabs a round bale of silage and just slices through the bale, and grabs the net and plastic in one action.

Climate of Change 2 0 1 3

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DOWERIN GWN7 MACHINERY FIELD DAYS. AUGUST 28-29, 2013

P R O S P E C T U S

SITE BOOKINGS NOW OPEN Visit www.dowerinfielddays.com.au or contact Dowerin Events Management on (08) 9631 1021

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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

Tillage and Cropping Demonstration Day at Elmore Elmore Tillage and Cropping Demonstration Day in March at the Elmore Events Centre proved challenging for exhibitors due to the dry and dusty conditions. Record numbers of exhibitors and demonstrations made the vibe throughout the day very positive with over 300 people participating in the event. More than 25 farm machinery manufacturers had tillage, boomspray and sowing equipment with at least 18 tillage machines, seven different boomsprays and 13 different sowing machines. Elmore Field Days President David Trewick said the objective of the specialized equipment and technology event was to assist cropping and cultivation based farmers to evaluate their forward capital investment plans for tillage, sowing and spraying equipment for the following cropping season. The Demonstration Day at the Elmore Events Centre is a bi-annual event and typically well supported by farmers and equipment manufacturers, their local dealers and distributors. Dry and dusty conditions did make it difficult for some exhibitors, however they reported solid business enquiries from the event. The demonstation day provided a valuable opportunity for

farmers to view several different machines working side-by-side. Obviously farmers are keen to see some good rainfall in the region, but were optimistic that a good season was on its way. Visit www.elmorefielddays.com.au.

Elmore offered farmers a valuable opportunity to view different machines working side-by-side.

56 th RIVERLAND FIELD DAYS 18 & 19 September 2013 Sturt Highway – Barmera

Your friendly Agricultural & Horticultural field days An excellent business promotion and marketing opportunity We care about your business!

Contact: Secretary: Tim Grieger

PO Box 203, Berri SA 5341

Prospectus out now! 50

Phone: 0409 099 122 Email: admin@riverlandfielddays.com.au

www.riverlandfielddays.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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

SA's oldest field days

Riverland regions event

Yorke Peninsula Field Days' next biennial event will be held at Paskeville, South Australia on September 24 to 26, 2013. Advantage SA twice honoured the field days as winners of the Community Group Award for Yorke & Mid North Region and also as the State’s 2012 overall winner in this category. Yorke Peninsula Field Days are the oldest and the largest field days in South Australia providing a venue for machinery, farming techniques, technology and information sharing. Rural and regional South Australia is highlighted and all businesses are encouraged to display and demonstrate their particular products and expertise. At this biennial three-day event, held at the Yorke Peninsula Field Days site on Copper Coast Highway west of Paskeville, there will be up to 750 exhibitors. The majority will have an agricultural focus, and together with a variety of general interest products, provide a fantastic well rounded experience to approximately 38,000 attendees over the three days of the event. The Advertiser newspaper is the major sponsor of the event and provides the Yorke Peninsula Field Days Official Program & Directory. Visit www.ypfielddays.com.au.au.

The Riverland Field Days is an excellent promotion and marketing opportunity for broad acre farming and horticulture businesses and all other agricultural businesses. The market reach extends well beyond the Riverland and into other regions including the Barossa, Clare Valley and midnorth of the state of Victoria, the Murray Mallee and Murray Bridge areas, the Mildura-Sunraysia region and the South East region of South Australia. These regions collectively involve a population in excess of 100,000. The field days site has developed into an excellent venue with well kept grounds and facilities. It is located centrally to the Riverland region, right on the Sturt Highway, near Barmera. The whole field days package provides a great business experience with the opportunity for excellent direct customer contact as well as business product and brand promotion. The prospectus is on the website and can be downloaded. It provides an excellent range of information for the exhibitor. Riverland Field Days will be held on September 19 and 29, 2013. Participation in the event is made easy by lodging the site application online or just visit the site for more information: www.riverlandfielddays.com.au.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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

50th birthday for Elmore Field Days in 2013 early pointers indicate another big event coming up. “We have just released our prospectus for exhibitors and we have already seen a very strong uptake of available display sites from previous exhibitors who have site retention agreements. “We will, as always, apply the test of relevance in admitting new exhibitors as we seek to maintain a very strong focus on agricultural products and services and especially new technologies.” Upgraded facilities

Elmore Field Days Committee has elevated four of its younger workers to life governor status. L to R: Andrew Holmberg, Glenn Trewick, Frank Harney and Darren Trewick. The 2013 Elmore Field Days will mark the 50th annual staging of the agricultural products and services exhibition from October 1 through to October 3, 2013. President of the Elmore committee David Trewick, a third generation member of one of the original founding families who farm in Elmore and surrounding districts, said all the

41st Annual

September 4th and 5th 2013 Visit the new Bayer Avenge Ram Shed There are machinery displays, and cattle displays Inventions and Awards Outdoor and camping displays Family interest displays and fashion parades Art and photography exhibition Children’s rides and entertainment for the whole family

we look forward to seeing you there 4th & 5th September 2013 Enquiries to: Anne Bishop, Secretary Phone: (08) 9871 1655

Fax: (08) 9871 1659

Email: nfday@westnet.com.au www.nfday.com.au

“We have recently upgraded and installed additional electric power boxes around the site and plans are underway for the replacement of amenities facilities. “Our big agribusiness pavilion, which has found strong support for exhibitors after only two years in use, has also received additional facilities. “Even the grass underfoot has been receiving increased management as providing the best possible conditions for our exhibitors and visitors is our strong objective.” Big year for Elmore

On March 10 the biennial staging of the specialist Tillage & Cropping Demonstration Day was held on the site. Then on Saturday, April 6 the committee held a celebration dinner in Elmore to set the 50th Year celebrations under way. Almost 200 guests including long standing exhibitors and people who have contributed over the years were there. “We have several more events to come that will recognise all the exhibitors and supporters who have been along with us since the very first Field Days were held in 1963." There will also be the usual best practice program for sheep and wool producers that operates from the onsite shearing shed on all three days at Elmore. Trewick said he thinks all the pointers are indicating another reasonable season ahead. All farm business operators are working to control their costs while awaiting the traditional seasonal break and rains to set cropping and pasture based enterprises on the right trajectory. “I am fairly confident with commodity prices holding up and with interest rates low, and despite the high Australian dollar we should see a fairly good year ahead for farming,” he said. 2013 Elmore Field Days prospectus

The prospectus for exhibitors for the 2013 Elmore Field Days has already been forwarded to all interested parties including previous exhibitors. Site applications will close on May 31 and prospective new exhibitors with products that have a specific relevance to agriculture and the rural sector should contact the Elmore Field Days office on 03 5432 6176 for more information. The Field Days committee and all four governors have a multigenerational family association with the event.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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

New Sheep Shed for Newdegate President, Keith Hams said: “The Shed is a project we have been working on for some time now, and it is great to see it all come together. We hope the Shed will allow more stud merino breeders the chance to be involved with our field days." With the focus on agricultural innovation this year, the event will be welcoming cutting edge technology and research with some of the best livestock the industry has. The Dyson Jones Wool and Technology Pavilion will host the best in wool innovation and up-to-date and emerging technology on the market. For more information visit www.nfday.com.au.

Queensland Ag show shines For more than 20 years Heritage Ag Show has been one of Queensland’s largest agricultural field days. In 2012 the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland, a partner in the Ag Show, assumed the management of this annual rural industry event. Damon Phillips, RASQ CEO, has become the CEO of Ag Show. “We are committed to taking the event to a new level by ensuring both the exhibitors and visitors find Ag Show interesting and informative,” he said.

“Our recent market research highlighted some excellent opportunities, and we have already commenced to implement some of these findings.” The event venue is the Toowoomba Royal Show grounds, known as the Clive Berghofer Events Centre, comprising 99.14 hectares (245 acres) of exhibition facilities, indoor and outdoor event sites and permanent refreshment sites. For a 2013 Heritage Ag Show prospectus call 07 4634 7400 or email admin@agshow.com.au.

YORKE PENINSULA

Dowerin Field Days started as a suggestion for raising funds in 1964 but has grown to become a very important event for Western Australia. The event is held on the last Wednesday and Thursday in August and attracts thousands of people to the wheatbelt area. Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days involve information technology, as it is now an essential part of broadacre farming, with widespread use of computers and satellite information, so computer displays share space with farm machinery. Changes to the industry such as lifestyle farms have meant smaller tractors dominate farm machinery sales across Australia. Horticulture, aquaculture and olive tree farming have reached the wheatbelt too. The Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days encourage exhibitors to set new trends, and many visitors rely on the information about new developments in machinery, computers, finance, cropping and rural lifestyles that come from this event. Visit www.dowerinfielddays.com.au.

DON’T MISS THIS EVENT!

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Next Biennial Event 24, 25 & 26 September 2013 Paskeville, South Australia

“Australia’s Oldest Field Days”

With a major focus on agriculture and the future, the Yorke Peninsula Field Days three-day event features extensive displays and demonstrations of the latest agricultural machinery and equipment, technology, information and services. Over 750 exhibitors are located on an extensive site with in excess of $200 million worth of merchandise on display. The event provides an excellent opportunity to view and compare a comprehensive range of products designed for effective farming practices. Enquiries to the Administrator Elaine Bussenschutt OAM Phone: (08) 8827 2040 Fax: (08) 8827 1011

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FIELD DAYS INC

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The 41st Annual Newdegate Machinery Field Days will showcase some of the best the agricultural industry has to offer. Held over September 4 and 5, 2013, with the launch of the new Bayer Avenge Merino Sheep Shed, and the new-look Dyson Jones Wool and Technology Pavilion, it promises to be an actionpacked couple of days. The Bayer Avenge Merino Sheep Shed is the result of collaboration between the Newdegate Machinery Field Days and Bayer in consultation with the Western Australian Stud Merino Breeders, to accommodate the growing number of merino breeders attending.

Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days

2012

Features of the event include extensive displays and demonstrations of the latest agricultural machinery and equipment, technology, services, innovations, and current techniques all located on the field days permanent 34 hectare site at Paskeville, South Australia. A comprehensive general interest program features merchandise of interest to both rural and urban families.

PO Box 162 Kadina 5554 Email: ypfd@netyp.com.au Web: www.ypfielddays.com.au

Prospectus NOW available

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

What's New in Tractors New tractors and tractor distributors Choosing a new tractor is certainly something to sit down and ponder for a while. Not only are they major capital expenses but also there is so much to consider with specifications. Over the next few pages we have extracted some specifications for a range of tractors. Some of these tractors are new and some have been around for a while, but there's nothing like a quick scan of a table to help you work out instantly what can suit your needs and your property and what is not even in the running. However, the table is a only an indication and a complete specification list of the tractors on the following pages is available by visiting the company websites listed under each section.

The T4 Powerstar by New Holland.

McCormick tractors are now with Clark.

Massey Ferguson 4600.

Case IH Magnum.

McCORMICK SPARE PARTS

SINCERE THANKS FROM YOUR TRACTOR

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; & DEALERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Clark Equipment appointed distributor for McCormick tractors Clark Equipment has welcomed its appointment as national distributor for McCormick tractors, a name well known to many generations who have worked on the land. McCormick has a 180-year history of producing tractors and agricultural equipment known to stand the test of time. In Australia McCormick tractors are now available from a national dealer network, fully supported by Clark Equipment. Clark Equipment too has a proven history in equipment distribution, and McCormick adds to its portfolio of agricultural equipment that includes Bobcat tractors and telescopic handlers, DakenAG, Tonutti, Muratori among others. Clark Equipment is a BRW Top 500 Australian Private Company operating from more than 20 locations across Australia and New Zealand and with more than 500 employees. www.clarkequipment.com.

McCormick

Engine

PTO

Model

Number of cylinders

X60.20

92.5

83.3

X60.30

102

67.5

91.8

X60.40

110

72.5

X60.50

112

X70.40

129

175

2200

X70.50

138

188

2200

X70.60

149

203

2200

X70.70

160

218

2200

X70.80

171

232

2200

C80 Max

54.5

46.5

C90 Max

70.5

C100 Max

92.5

C110 Max

102

63.5

86.5

C60L

58.5

36.8

2200

C75L

50.2

68.2

43.3

2200

C85L

102

63.5

86.5

2200

MB55 America

57.7

2200

MB65 America

50.2

67.3

46.5

2200

MB75 America

54.2

54.5

2200

MB85 America

80.5

55.5

75.5

XTX 145

156

XTX 165

126

171

XTX 185

135

183

MTX 120

117

99.5

MTX 135

133

83.5

113.5

MTX 150

104

141

117

T80

54.5

46.5

T90

70.5

T100

92.5

T110

102

63.5

86.5

T115

110.2

68.5

93.5

G125

117

100

G135

133

120

G145

116

157

120

G165

116

157

135

F70 F-GE

42.5

54.5

46.5

F80 F-GE-XL

PTO Speeds

2200

F85 F-GE

F90F-GE-XL

51.5

F100 F-GE-XL

97.5

77.5

F110 F-GE-XL

102

85.5

F120 F-GE-XL

110.2

92.5

T90 Std

56.5

2200

T100 Std

92.5

62.5

85.5

2200

T105 Sd

72.5

98.6

2200

T80

54.5

50.5

68.5

2200

T90

56.5

2200

T100

72.5

62.5

85.5

2200

T105

72.5

98.6

2200

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

CASE IH

Number of cylinders

PTO Speeds

Farmall 20B

12.1

16.5

540

Farmall 25B

14.7

540

Farmall 35B

22 Hydro, 23 Mech

29 Hydro, 31 Mech

540

Farmall 40B

540

Farmall 50B

27 Hydro, 29 Mech

37 Hydro, 39 Mech

540

Farmall 60B

540

JX60 Straddle

540

JX70 Straddle

540

JX80 Straddle

540

58.5

540/750/540E

JX95 HC

John Dreves, Case IH product manager – tractors, said the Magnum has long been a customer favourite. "The Magnum series has been built with customer feedback front of mind, offering more power to handle the most demanding tasks at higher speeds, better fuel efficiency and with one of the best cabs in class. "Magnum delivers leading fuel efficiency, and with Automatic Productivity Management – APM – you can achieve up to an additional 24% in fuel savings. "The current model Magnum has the tightest turning radius in its class and delivers more power to the ground with minimal ballast due to its sculptured surround frame." Dreves said to celebrate Magnum's 25th Anniversary, Case IH has produced 150 special edition silver Magnums globally. "We've managed to secure a dozen of these special edition machines for Australia," "Talk to your Case IH dealer today to see what Silver Anniversary deal you can get on your next Magnum tractor," he said. www.caseih.com.au.

PTO

JX80 HC

Case IH celebrates 25 years of Magnum

Engine

Model

540/750/540E

JX60

43.5

540/750/GS

JX70

50.5

540/750/GS

JX80

58.5

540/750/GS

JX90

65.5

540/750/GS

Farmall 70 JX

48.5

540/1000

Farmall 75 JX

540/1000

Farmall 80 JX

540/1000

Farmall 90 JX

65.5

540/1000

Farmall 100 JX

540/1000

Farmall 110 JX

110

104

540/1000

Quantum 85C

540/1000/540E

Quantum 95C

540/1000/540E

JXU85

540/1000/540E

JXU95

540/1000/540E

JXU105

106

540/1000/540E

JXU115

113

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 100 (Classic)

101

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 110 (Classic)

112

4ti

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 115 (Classic)

117

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 125 (Classic)

126

106

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 140 (Classic)

104

141

121

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 100 (Ultimate)

101

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 110 (Ultimate)

112

4ti

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 115 (Ultimate)

117

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 125 (Ultimate)

126

106

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Maxxum 140 (Ultimate)

104

141

121

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Puma 125

127

107

6TAA

540/750/1000

Puma 130

131

106

6TAA

540/750/1000

Puma 140

104

142

122

6TAA

540/750/1000

Puma 145

107

146

121

6TAA

540/750/1000

Puma 155

116

158

101

138

6TAA

540/750/1000

Puma 160

118

160

135

6TAA

540/750/1000E

Puma 165

123

167

100

136

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

Puma 180

134

182

112

152

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

Puma 195

145

197

123

167

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

Puma 210

157

213

134

182

6TAA

540/E/1000/E 540/E/1000/E

Puma 225

165

224

146

197

6TAA

Magnum EP235

175

235

145

195

6TAA

540/1000

Magnum EP260

192

257

160

215

6TAA

540/1000 540/1000

Magnum EP290

212

284

179

240

6TAA

Magnum EP315

232

311

197

265

6TAA

540/1000

Magnum EP340

254

340

251

337

6TAA

540/1000 1000

Steiger EP350

264

354

217

290

6TAA

Steiger EP400

303

406

254

340

6TAA

1000

Steiger EP450

341

457

287

385

6TAA

1000

Steiger EP500

379

508

321

430

6TAA

1000

Steiger EP550

416

558

353

473

6TAA

1000

Steiger EP600

453

608

353

473

6TAA

1000

Quadtrac EP450

341

457

287

385

6TAA

1000

Quadtrac EP500

379

508

321

430

6TAA

1000

Quadtrac EP550

416

558

353

473

6TAA

1000

Quadtrac EP600

453

608

353

473

6TAA

1000

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

MAGNUM: DRIVEN BY YOU FOR 25 YEARS It’s a generation of innovation, with each design improvement driven by customer feedback. Back in 1988 Case IH Magnum® tractors set a new benchmark for power, productivity and operator comfort. That legacy continues in today’s models with the ultimate fuel and fluid-efficient engine, and the tightest turning radius in its class. Enjoy intuitive and simple operator controls while you sit in the largest, quietest and most comfortable cab on the market. To find out more, visit www.caseih.com or talk to your local Case IH dealer.

MASSEY FERGUSON

Massey Ferguson has introduced the new MF4600 Series Three new models make up the Massey Ferguson (MF) range from 80hp – 100hp and are designed as general purpose tractors to tackle a host of jobs. “There is increasing demand from customers for a tractor in this horsepower category that is nimble, manoeuvrable and responsive,” said Saviour Mangion, MF product manager. The new range features a Tier 4, 3-cylinder AGCO POWER with state-of-the art emissions technology and a power-shuttle transmission, with improved hydraulic performance. All come with a 12-by-12 power-shuttle transmission and fully synchronized gears. An electronically controlled, wet multi-disc clutch lets the operator shuttle the tractor, changing the direction of travel by flipping a lever. The Massey Ferguson 4600 Series has exceptional hydraulic flow to power a front loader and additional hydraulic implements. The MF4600 Series is available in cab and ROPS configurations. www.masseyferguson.com.au or www.agcocorp.com.au. 58

Engine

PTO HP

Number of cylinders

PTO Speeds

GC1705

22.5

13.9

18.7

540/2532

GC1715

24.5

14.6

19.6

540/2829

Model

1660-4R

540

1660-4C

540

2605.4R

28.7

23.9

540

2615.2R

30.62

41.58

540

2615.4R

30.62

41.58

540

2625.2R

40.3

540

2625.4R

40.3

540

2635.2R

55.2

44.7

540

2635.4R

55.2

44.7

540

4608 CAB

540/1000

4608 ROPS

540/1000

4609 CAB

540/1000

4609 ROPS

540/1000

4610 CAB

100

540/1000

4610 ROPS

100

540/1000

5420.2C

58.9

540/1000

5420.4C

58.9

540/1000

5430.4C

66.2

4TI

540/1000

5440.4C

73.6

100

4TI

540/1000

5450.4C

77.3

105

4TI

540/1000

5445-4R

69.9

4TI

540/1000

5445-4C

69.9

4TI

540/1000

5455-4C

77.3

105

4TI

540/1000

5460-4C

115

103

4TI

540/1000

5465-4C

120

108

6TI

540/1000

5470-4C

125

113

4TI

540/1000

5475-4C

132

123

6TI

540/1000

6455.4C

105

100

4TI

540/1000

6460.4C

115

110

4TI

540/1000

6465.4C

120

115

6TI

540/1000

6470.4C

125

120

4TI

540/1000

6475.4C

132

130

6TI

540/1000

6480.4C

108

147

103

140

6TI

540/1000

6485.4C

118

160

118

160

6TI

540/1000

6490.4C

125

170

125

170

6TI

540/1000

6495.4C

136

185

132

180

6TI

540/1000

6497.4C

147

200

144

195

6TI

540/1000

6499.4C

158

215

144

195

6TI

540/1000

7465-4C

125

115

6TI

540/1000

7475.4C

105

142

130

6TI

540/1000

7480.4C

112

152

103

140

6TI

540/1000

7485.4C

121

165

118

160

6TI

540/1000

7490.4C

129

175

125

170

6TI

540/1000

7495.4C

140

190

132

180

6TI

540/1000

7619.4C

136

185

114

155

6TI

540/1000

7619.4C

136

185

114

155

6TI

540/1000

7620.4C

147

200

132

180

6TI

540/1000

7620.4C

147

200

132

180

6TI

540/1000

7622.4C

158

215

144

195

6TI

540/1000

7622.4C

158

215

144

195

6TI

540/1000

7624.4C

173

235

155

210

6TI

540/1000

7624.4C

173

235

155

210

6TI

540/1000

8650

177

240

166

225

6TI

540E/1000

8660

195

265

184

250

6TI

540E/1000

8670

213

290

202

275

6TI

540E/1000

8680

236

320

221

300

6TI

540E/1000

8690

250

340

236

320

6TI

540E/1000

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

THE ALL NEW MF4600 UTILITY TRACTOR

80 – 100 hp

The MF4600 features include: Tier4 emission compliant engines 2-speed rear PTO Cab and ROPS available

3 models ranging from 80-100 hp 12F/12R powershuttle transmission Large lift capacity of 2500 kg

Contact your local Massey Ferguson dealer for more information.

is a worldwide brand of AGCO Corporation.

www.masseyferguson.com.au | Freecall 1800 802 914

ING

E U L VA

Now you can take on every task around the farm with the all new MF4600. They’re manoeuverable, nimble and built with the highest quality standard – Massey Ferguson quality.

ND A T S T U

NEW HOLLAND

T4 PowerStar from New Holland Don’t be misled by its compact size, the new T4 PowerStar range offers versatility, power, and efficiency. The entirely new cab design optimises job efficiency and accuracy through industry-leading levels of visibility. With the instrument cluster moving in conjunction with the fully tiltable steering column, and wide-opening glass doors, operators benefit from unobstructed views of their work area and can move in and out of the cab with ease. The 12x12 transmission comes standard with a hydraulic power shuttle allowing operators to shift from forward to reverse without clutching, or the need for electro-hydraulics. The T4 PowerStar engine is renowned for its reliability and fuel efficiency, producing powers from 55 to 75 hp. Enhanced by the 540eco PTO option, it’s able to lower engine speeds for reduced fuel consumption. Boasting FPT Industrial’s F5C turbocharged mechanical injection engine, 3.2L powerplant with two valves per cylinder and maximum torque of 310Nm, the series guarantees outstanding productivity, visibility and comfort – all in a compact package. www.newholland.com. 60

Engine

PTO

Model

T9.390 T9.450 T9.505 T9.560 T9.615 T9.670 T8.300 T8.330 T8.360 T8.390 T8.275 T7.170 T7.185 T7.200 T7.210 T7.170 T7.185 T7.200 T7.210 T7.220 T7.235 T7.250 T7.260 T7.220 T7.235 T7.250 T7.260 T7.270 T6020 LS T6030 LS T6050 LS T6010 LS T6070 LS T5030 T5040 T5050 T5060 T6020 T6040 T6030 T6050 T6070 T6010 Plus T6020 Plus T6030 Plus T6050 Plus T6070 Plus TD5.75 TD5.90 TD5.100 TD5.110 T4020 T4030 T4040 T4050 T4030 F & N T4040 F & N T4050 F & N T4020 T4030 T4040 T4050 T4020 V T4030 V T4040 V T4050 V TK4000 Series TK4060 TD60 D TD70 D TD80 D TD90 D TD95 D T4.55 T4.65 T4.75 TT55 TT75 45.2WD & 4WD 55.2WD & 4WD

287 328 369 410 451 492 208 230 252 275 190 92 103 114 123 92 103 114 123 123 136 147 158 123 136 147 158 168 82 86 93 74 104 56 63 71 78 105 107 112 120 131 74 82 86 93 104 56 65 73 81 63 71 48 57 57 65 71 48 57 63 71 48 57 63 71 74 43 51 59 65 69 41 48 55 40.5 55.1 33.5 41

390 446 502 557 613 669 283 313 343 374 258 125 140 155 165 125 140 155 165 167 185 200 215 167 185 200 215 228 112 117 126 101 141 76 86 97 106 142 145 152 163 178 101 112 117 126 141 75 88 98 110 86 97 65 78 78 88 97 65 78 86 97 65 78 86 97 101 59 69 80 89 94 55 65 74 55.1 74.9 45 55

158 176 195 213 143 82 93 104 112 82 93 104 112 110 123 132 143 110 123 132 143 146 67 71 78 59 89

215 240 265 290 195 110 125 140 150 110 125 140 150 148 165 177 192 148 165 177 192 198 92 97 106 81 121

67 74 71 78 89 59 67 71 78 89 51 60 67 76 55 63 40 49 49 57 63 40 49 55 63 37 49 57 63 65 36 40 49 56 60

92 101 97 107 121 81 92 97 106 121 70 82 92 104 74 85 54 66 66 77 85 54 66 74 85 50 66 77 85 88 48 54 67 76 81

36.3 47.6 29 35.4

49.4 64.7 39 47.5

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Number of cylinders 6T 6T 6T 6T 6T 6T 6T 6T 6T 6T 6T 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 6TI 4T 6T 6T 4T 6T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 4T 3 3 4 4T

PTO Speeds 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 540/750/1000 540/750/1000 540/750/1000 540/750/1000 540/750/1000 540/750/1000 540/750/1000 540/750/1000 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 540/540E/1000/1000E 2200 2200 2200 2200 2200

2200 2200 2200 2200 2200 2200 2200 2200 2200 2200 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2500 2500 2500 2500 2500 2500 2300 2300 2300 2500 2500 2700 2700

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What's New in Spraying When to spray and how to minimize drift Spraying plays an important role in agriculture but how do you know the perfect time to spray to achieve maximum yields? Or how to minimise drift in less-than-ideal conditions? “Many factors contribute to the decision of when, or when not, to spray,” said Pete McCann, business manager for Case IH. “Ideally, producers want any chemical application to take place at the right agronomic moment. That ‘right moment’ is when the chemical applied will preserve the yield potential for a particular field, providing the opportunity to maximise productivity. “Environmental conditions such as wind and rain significantly impact the spraying window. “Wet field conditions, for example, can cause equipment to leave ruts that will stay in the field all year long, and wind can cause off-target applications, or drift.” As well as potentially impacting sensitive areas, this can increase the amount of chemicals needed to do the same job – increasing input costs and affecting margins.

Case IH Patriot sprayers have a cab-forward, rear-engine configuration.

However, it’s important not to leave it too late. Competition for nutrients and moisture between plants and weeds increases every day during the growing season. Pest infestation also takes an increasing toll on a plant’s ability to produce grain, seed, feed or fibre. To minimise drift, McCann suggests producers consider: • tank additives to help reduce drift potential • automatic boom height controls to maintain proper height above the target • increasing droplet size with drift-reduction spray tips or airinduction tips. “Advanced spray technology can also make a difference,” he said. “For example, the AIM Command spray system on Case IH Patriot sprayers provides precise spraying capabilities with complete control. “This technology combats drift in two ways: first, users can hold a constant spray pressure and application rate, both independent of speed. Second, users can preset two spray pressures and change between them on the go, so you can select a lower spray pressure when necessary. “And getting your tank mix right, including using the right additives, enables you to maximise productivity in the field while reducing costs and better safeguarding the environment.” “Sprayer configuration may impact your ability to access the paddock in certain conditions. Better weight distribution between the axles will result in less soil compaction and fewer ruts. “Case IH Patriot sprayers have a cab-forward, rear-engine configuration, so when the tank is full and booms are extended weight is still equally distributed.” Certain sprayer attributes, such as vehicle weight and weight distribution, along with advanced spray technology, will affect your ability to get in the field when the weather is not favourable. So keep these factors in mind to avoid adverse effects on the environment whenever applying chemicals. For more information visit www.caseih.com.

Weed kill selectively and economically Milkthistle, bindweed, fleabane, Roundup-ready cotton and ryegrass are just a few of the difficult to control weeds for wheat farmers. WeedSeeker systems control weeds for chemical fallow spraying, no-till field spraying, pre-plant weed spraying and post-harvest weed control by automatically spot-spraying the weeds and not bare soil. Self-propelled utility vehicles, ATVs or 62

pull-behind sprayers all constantly apply herbicide regardless of how high or low the weed coverage. The WeedSeeker system uses advanced optics and computer circuitry to sense the presence of weeds. When the weed enters the sensor’s field of view, it signals a spray nozzle to deliver a precise amount of herbicide only to that weed. Herbicide use is therefore reduced 60% to 90% on most spray applications.

The benefits of WeedSeeker are that it reduces chemical costs and spray passes by combining with mowing or discing equipment. It eliminates manual spot spraying crews, sprays on green plants not bare soil and retrofits on existing equipment. For more information email sales@cropoptics.com.au or visit www.cropoptics.com.au.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Improved RoGator makes Sullivan’s day Farming on two properties north and west of Goondiwindi – Kinbeachie and Tenonby – the Sullivans plant 7500 acres to cash crops and some grain and forage sorghum throughout the year. “We plant mainly winter cereals, some chickpeas, oats, grain sorghum and forage sorghum,” Alex Sullivan said. The current oat crop will be in the ground within the next week. The only obstacle has been waiting for drier conditions to plant as the year-to-date total has meant 15 inches of rain. Sullivan’s RoGator 1300 with its new 339hp (253kW) engine and integrated drive package has handled the situation matching speed to conditions. “We usually run around 30km/hr but it has heaps of power – you could go faster if you wanted to," he said. “In the heavy going wet paddock we drop back to around 24km/hr. But it handles the rough going really well. “This is my second RoGator. We bought a second-hand 1286 model just over 12 months ago and we decided to take the opportunity to buy into a new unit from Goondiwindi Black Truck and Ag”. “We have only had this one for six weeks but nearly have 100 hours on it already and it is very good to operate.” Speed over the ground is not a top priority for the Sullivans with work rates enhanced by the 36-metre boom. “Our planting is on 18 metres so it allows me to get over the country without having

The RoGator 1300 has a new 339-hp (253kW) engine.

to run around the clock,” said Sullivan. The current running rate is 1000 acres a day, covering approximately 200 acres in an hour followed by half an hour to refill the 5000L tank. “If you wanted to push the machine it would go around the clock and 2000 acres a day would not be out of the question,” he said. The machine’s stamina and efficiency flow from its integrated drive system that consists of two primary components – a hydraulic motor and a gear reduction hub with the

Rapid Spray demo to students of agriculture Year 11 and 12 agriculture students from Singleton High School in New South Wales were given a demonstration on agricultural spraying from specialist local manufacturers of agricultural equipment Rapid Spray and one of its customers, farmer John Larkin. After recently donating a spray boom and range of nozzles to the school, Rapid Spray invited Larkin along to give the students the benefit of his 25 years’ experience and to talk to them about spray equipment, chemicals and their safe application to reduce weeds, pests and enhance yield. Larkin was happy to team up with the local business to offer support to the school’s popular agriculture department. “It was fantastic to see so many young agriculturalists at the school and great to see Rapid Spray supporting the Singleton farmers of the future,” said Larkin. Rapid Spray, located at Maison Dieu Industrial Estate in Singleton, has been designing and manufacturing spray equipment, cartage tanks and a whole host of products for the agricultural industry for more than 20 years. For further details on Rapid Sprays range visit www.rapidspray.net or call 1800 011 000.

same parts used on all four wheels. The beauty of this simple system is that it delivers more power to the ground, more efficiently. The multiple speed ranges allow speed to better match field conditions and deliver quicker acceleration and better power management, which means a more consistent spraying speed over a range of terrain. Sullivan draws particular attention to the boom height control – a feature that was not included on his previous model. “We can definitely run our boom a lot more level with the height control and I wouldn’t consider a 36-metre boom without it,” he said. AutoBoom is an automated boom height control system that increases application accuracy and reduces boom wear by keeping the boom level at the optimal height. It allows faster, more accurate spraying by automatically adjusting the height of the spray booms as they travel across the field. Sullivan says the value of this feature will be reflected by the extended life of the boom and is simply a ‘must have’, and it also takes a lot of the operator fatigue out of the equation. For more information contact Croplands on 1800 999 162.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Silvan Trolleypak spray unit Numerous people including pest controllers, landscapers, grounds management and building services need a compact portable rechargeable spray unit. That’s where the Selecta Smoothflo Trolleypak from Silvan Australia comes in. Its 25-litre tank is made of UV stabilised polyethylene with calibrations marked externally at every five litres, it has a 12-volt Smoothflo pump mounted and is supplied with a Spotspray gun with an adjustable nozzle pattern and six metres of 8mm diameter hose. The impact-resistant tank is contained within a sturdy zinc-plated steel frame with an adjustable handle and two large wheels of 250mm diameter that enable it to go anywhere. The design is compact and has a protective pump guard, and comes with 12 months' warranty. The Smoothflo 12-volt pump is set at

110psi, although this pressure can be increased up to 120psi. Even at 100psi the pump flow can be as great as 10 litres per minute. The self-priming Smoothflo pump has a Honeywell on-demand pressure sensing micro-switch for on-demand spraying and the pump housing has an anticorrosive coating for longer life. The Smoothflo also internally regulates the flow under pressure to maximise the flow at higher pressures without pulsation. The 12-volt 17-amp hour battery is activated by the on-off switch and there is a charging socket to accommodate the 240-volt AC to 12-volt DC charger. All up the unladen weight is 21kg and with its compact dimensions it can be carried in a service van or small vehicle. The recommended retail price is $1399. For more information visit www.silvan.com.au or call 1300 SILVAN (1300 745 826).

The 25 litre tank is made of UV stabilised polyethylene.

Selecta Spotpak and Rakpaks Silvan has released a range of Selecta Spotpak 12-volt sprayers with the Selecta Smoothflo pulsation-free pumps in 50, 70, 100 and 200-litre capacities. These units are ideal for on-demand maintenance and weed management spraying alongside road verges, fence lines for fire breaks, vine rows, in orchards, or plantations. Smoothflo sprayers can be mounted on a vehicle tray or ATV/UTV. The tanks are made of UV stabilised and impact resistant Polytuff designed for Australian conditions. The tank mouldings include indentations for tie down straps and the Rakpak has a baffled tank to minimise surge when moving. Each unit comes fully equipped, ready to use with a 12-volt DC pump that achieves a flow rate of up to 7-litres per minute open flow, maximum pressure of 120psi with no pulsation. 64

Standard equipment includes a three metre length of battery cable with alligator clips for attachment to a battery, six metres of chemical resistant delivery hose and a SpotJet spray gun with a Teejet adjustable spray nozzle. “The Smoothflo pump uses a pressure switch operation ‘on demand’ and is also auto bypassing, adjusting the flow rate when approaching shut-off pressure to maintain a smoother flow rate with minimal pulsation under low flow rates,” said Silvan Selecta spokesperson Greg Everett. ”The auto bypass feature makes the Smoothflo pump ideal for spot spraying at both fine and coarse droplet sizes, by adjusting the flow rate while maintaining optimal pressure and constant flow. “This feature means that the pressure sensing switch automatically starts the pump when the spray gun is in

operation and stops when released.” Recommended retail prices of the Selecta Smoothflo Spotpak units start at $539.00 for the 50-litre capacity unit, $599.00 for the 100-litre and the 200-litre unit at $659.00 with the 70-litre Rakpak $779.00. For more information call 1300 SILVAN (1300 745 826) email info@silvan.com or visit www.silvan.com.au

Selecta Spotpak 12-volt sprayers have Selecta Smoothflo pulsation free pumps.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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To find your nearest Silvan dealer call 1300 745 826 or visit www.silvan.com.au Silvan Financial Solutions a division of De Lage Landen Pty Limited ABN 20 101 692 040. Terms, Fees, Conditions & Lending Criteria Apply. Alternative terms & loan structures are available at competitive interest rates.

What's New in Fencing Take a king hit on posts The new King Hitter Telescopic “Expander“ post driver displays the patented innovative engineering skills of Fairbrother Industries. For the serious fencer, farmer or agriculturalist where reasonable lines of fencing in tough terrain is to be made or maintained the King Hitter “Expander” will do it. This post driver is designed for tractor mounting on standard threepoint linkage and comes with a fully hydraulically adjustable top-link ram and variable mast side angle adjustment. The King Hitter can fence in all terrains and environments including in low wooded tree lines, narrow lanes and when fabricating high deer fences and predator exclusion fences. The "Expander" can be used with the full range of accessories that Fairbrother Industries offers to fit all the King Hitter post drivers such as ther rock spike

extractor kit, the rock spike/combo auger kit and the side mounting super pro base/terminator base that has a full 900mm side shift. The telescoped mast is calculated to allow the weight to drop at maximum gravitation speed and produce maximum kinetic energy that will drive the post directly into the ground. Its patented mast design allows the post to be driven to ground height and has 320kg weights producing up to 150,000 lbs of driving force. High tensile live wound lifting cable is used to provide maximum strength and extra life plus the hydraulic variable adjustment top link gives 10º forward and 20º rear movement and hydraulic side angle adjustment left or right of 20º so it quickly allows for accurate post placing on undulating terrain. It only requires one person to operate and has simple controls.

For more information visit www.fairbrotherind.com.

The new King Hitter Telescopic “Expander“.

SaferGate voted safe by Safe Work Australia Among the annual Safe Work Australia award finalists was a product Australasian Farmers & Dealers Journal featured late last year – SaferGate. It was listed in category 2 of the awards, Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue, which recognises excellence in developing and implementing a solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue. SaferGate was designed by Inverell farmer and inventor Edward Evans and was put to the test by a CSIRO ‘crash test cow’. Hundreds of farmers and cattle handlers are injured in Australia operating cattle gates with farmers caught, crushed, jammed, or pinched in or between objects. Gate incidents account for 0.5% of deaths among agricultural workers in Australia. CSIRO ran simulated crash tests to evaluate how SaferGate would perform 66

when charged or kicked by an animal. The tests were conducted by hoisting a simulated cow to a height of five meters before launching it at the gate. Unlike a traditional cattle gate, SaferGate swings away from the operator when a cow charges it, preventing injury or death. It uses a pivot mechanism, which splits the gate into two pieces when hit, allowing the part of the gate in front of the operator to fold back on itself and away. CSIRO scientists improved the original design by adding a magnet on the SaferGate hinge (the magnetic latch), which allows the gate to remain in a steady position – like a traditional gateuntil hit. The gate can also be retrofitted. The annual Safe Work Australia Awards acknowledge excellence in work health and safety at an organisation and individual level on a national stage.

To be eligible for the Awards finalists must have won their respective category in the state, territory, Seacare or Comcare awards. More information is at www.safergate.com.au.

Peter Braden of CSIRO with the Safergate.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Wire fencing solutions Australian farmers have achieved significant savings with Southern Wire’s fencing solutions as they have eliminated the risk of livestock and pasture loss due to increasing pest populations. Western Australia farmer Stephen Sprigg was losing up to $160,000 per week in his mixed cropping enterprise due to emus until he installed Southern Wire’s Griplock fencing. “An influx of emus pre-harvest are capable of trampling up to 400 hectares of crop a week,” Sprigg said. “With average yields of 1.5 tonnes per hectare, the lost crop could cost the business $160,000 a week. We tried other fencing solutions over many years but emus continued to pose a major problem and we found a lot of maintenance was required.” Sprigg’s 16,000-hectare property borders a 93,000 hectare nature reserve at Bonnie Rock, 130 km north of Merredin. The mixed cropping business also includes a flock of 6500 merino sheep. His custom-made fence is 1.2 metres high and with its 10 strand lines, is exceptionally strong because of the unique Griplock knotting system which is triple knotted around the wire and heavily galvanised. “I was so confident of the strength of the Southern Wire fence and impressed with the assistance from Southern Wire that together, we custom-made the fence to delete every second vertical wire to 30 cm spacings,” said Sprigg. “Being able to delete every second vertical wire made the fence cheaper. I estimate we saved $800 a kilometre off the total purchase price of $1800 per kilometre by reducing the number of star pickets and vertical droppers, while maintaining the strength of the fence.” With the fence’s lifespan estimated at 50 years, reduced ongoing maintenance is a further benefit, according to Sprigg. “Not having to undertake regular maintenance work will free up my time for other aspects of the business,” he said. Cattle farmer Rob Tindall faced similar pest issues over the past decade, losing between two and three per cent of his calves to dingo attacks each year. Tindall and his wife Susan, who run the 997-hectare property Macfarlane Downs in Tambo in Queensland, had never used fencing to protect against pests, preferring to bait the dingoes instead. “However with baiting, you risk accidently getting the working dogs. It’s also pretty time consuming and to be honest, we’re fairly time poor already.” Kangaroos also posed a pest issue. “There are literally thousands of kangaroos around our property and they get into grazing areas and eat the grass down so low that the cattle are left without feed,” Tindall said. “I sell my weaners at 250 kgs and if they’re not getting enough feed, they don’t reach their ideal weight as quickly as they should. This slows production by a few weeks, resulting in decreased income. ” The recent decision to install 14.6 km of Southern Wire’s Griplock wire fencing on grazing areas across the property was based on the strength of the fence and ease of installation.

There are significant savings to be had by using Southern Wire’s fencing solutions.

“Even over hilly areas of the property we’ve found it easy to stretch the Griplock fence around the creeks and gullies without losing tension. The kangaroos just bounce straight off it,” said Tindall. For more information www.southernwire.com.au.

MAKES OTHER POSTDRIVERS SEEM LIKE… LIGHTWEIGHTS When you require a heavyweight postdriver with a top world ranking there is only one contender. Working closely with contractors and farmers world-wide for over 30 years, we have revolutionised postdriving technology to produce the champion of champion postdrivers. We have models to suit all requirements and have a broad range of accessories. Why support the amateurs when you can beat the odds with KINGHITTER™.

PHONE 1800 256 753 or visit www.kinghitter.com

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

What's New in Pumps Procast pumps an Aussie hard worker Procast Pump Industries is an Australian company manufacturing a range of self-priming pumps in Queensland. The company’s Astron range of self-priming centrifugal pumps is built tough. The pumps are cast in the company's foundry and components machined in the CNC shop using the latest machine tool technology for accuracy and efficiency. Each Aston pump is machined to drawing specification and quality assurance audits are completed for each component. The components are then assembled and mounted on the engine and each unit is individually tested on a flow bench to ensure flow and pressure standards are met. The Astron HP range of self-priming portable fire pumps are made for long life and reliability and are made to suit Australian’s harsh climate. The pump is all marine grade aluminium and comes with a 7-year pump warranty. It has one large single piece impellor with dual bronze impellor wearing rings. It can pump up to 3mm solids in suspension and has large one inch priming and draining ports and comes with a galvanized roll over frame.

Procast is a Queensland based, Australian company.

Davey pumps selling to the Chinese When it comes to keeping safe the Chinese are relying on Australian pumps to do the job. Davey firefighting pumps are sold for use by Chinese foresters because they need absolute reliability. But it’s not just the Chinese who are using Davey pumps – International paper supplier Sappi specifies the Davey/Honda to protect its large eucalypt plantations in South Africa. Australian agricultural spraying contractors are also using Davey pumps because they have the ability to run hard all day and they are available with the option of Viton seals to extend the pump’s life when used with chemicals. The Davey range has a host of features that are highly sought after such as the thrust balanced impeller design and equalization holes in the impeller that minimize the strain on the motor. Patented independently floating neck rings provide improved pumping efficiency with gritty water and allow the unit to keep operating efficiently under difficult conditions. Davey manufactures a wide range of pumps including those suited to stock, watering, dairy washdown, irrigation, effluent disposal and distribution, and fertigation. For more information www.davey.com.au. 68

The Chinese are relying on Australian Davey pumps to fight fires.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Honda targets serial offenders Honda Australia has launched a public awareness campaign, alerting consumers to the need to inspect the engine serial number on all Honda engines used in Honda-powered products prior to purchasing. This is due to a number of retailers selling what appear to be Honda-powered products with defaced serial numbers. “We are concerned that customers are not getting the quality they expect when they purchase a Honda-branded product. "We want Honda customers to be completely satisfied with their Honda product and this awareness campaign is specifically designed to help customers make the right choice,” said Honda Power Equipment general manager Chris Schultz. Recently, companies have been importing Honda-branded products that are either counterfeit or not designed for Australian consumers or Australian conditions. “Honda-branded engines without a serial number may not be covered by Honda’s extensive warranty,” Schultz said. “Nor are they supported by Honda’s extensive servicing dealer network and parts backup. “We want customers to ensure that they inspect the engine’s serial number to ensure it is free from tampering. If it has been scratched off or ground down, or if it has been covered

Honda has launched an a public awareness campaign to stop fraudulent behaviour.

by a sticker with a different serial number, then it is very likely not an engine built for Australia’s unique conditions. “A genuine engine’s serial number will not be found on a sticker, it will be found engraved into the engine itself. “You wouldn’t buy a car with its Vehicle Identification Number scratched off,” said Schultz, “so why would you buy an engine with its serial number defaced?” Visit www.hondaserialoffenders.com.au.

The Astron HP Fire Pump Quality Without Compromise Features

Applications - Fire fighting - Water cartage/ trucks - Mop up duties - Irrigation - Water transfer - Boom spraying - Plant/ Machinery wash down

- Unbeatable 7-yearpump warranty - Genuine Honda engines - Huge single piece impellor - Dual Bronze impellor wearing rings - 316 stainless steel fasteners - 500 litres per minute - 75 metre head - The fastest Priming from 7.5m - 2” Bronze suction port - 1” BSP priming and drain plugs - CNC machined billet outlet caps

Made by Australians for Australians Procast Pump Industries 47 Noble Avenue, Northgate QLD 4013. PO Box 16, Nundah Q. 4012 Ph: (07) 3266 6188 F: (07) 32605661 E: admin@procastengineering.com.au www.procastengineering.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Ag chemicals pump Liquid fertilisers save time and labour, they minimise downtime waiting for product to dissolve and eliminate deterioration in storage. However, they are corrosive and need to be handled with suitable equipment that prevent leaks and remove the potential for ground contamination.  Australian Pump Industries has developed a range of ‘Smart Pumps’ for safe, fast and efficient handling of liquid fertilisers.  The Aussie Smart Pump is available in 2” and 3” configurations with high flow capability to move up to 1100 litres per minute. This extra flow cuts down time for selfpropelled sprayers as large on-board tanks can be filled in a matter of minutes.   The high flow on the Aussie Smart Pump means extra productivity for farmers by cutting sprayer cycle times and combined with its corrosion resistance, makes these Smart Pumps a good choice for pumping agricultural chemicals. The pump’s construction material, glass filled polyester, is impervious to corrosion generated by liquid fertiliser. Stainless steel fasteners, EPDM O-rings and check valves are standard equipment. Viton seals are available as an option.   The pump is driven by a Japanese Honda engine backed by a 3-year warranty with the Smart Pump boasting a 5-year pump warranty.

Australian Pump Industries has a range of ‘Smart Pumps’ to handle liquid fertilizers.

While Honda petrol drive Smart Pumps are the most common, the same pumps are also available with diesel, hydraulic or electric drive.    Close coupled electric motor drive versions in either single phase or 3-phase allow simple installation. They’re all fitted with a unique motor protection device called Aussie Protek.    The Protek system is a sandwich device installed between the pump and the electric motor. In the event of a seal failure, the Protek system traps the chemical being pumped, preventing it from running down the shaft into the electric motor.   The hydraulic drive option has big advantages for operators of self-propelled sprayers. The pump can be integrated into the machine and driven by the sprayer’s hydraulic system. The operator can control the pump from the cabin of the vehicle. The couplings from the main base supply tank only have to be “clicked in” to re-load the sprayer tank. Many operators prefer the hydraulic drive because it does away with the need for electricity out in the paddock or the additional maintenance of a small petrol engine. More information at www.aussiepumps.com.au.

Aussie Scud fires over to Japan Honda Australia and Aussie Pumps have launched the Aussie Scud pressure cleaner in Japan. This follows the Australian design proving extremely popular throughout Australia, South East Asia and the Middle East. Aussie Pumps has incorporated the Honda GX390 engine in the Aussie Scud pressure cleaner range. “We used Honda petrol engines after a series of extensive power-to-performance matching tests,” said Aussie Pumps’ national pump division sales manager Brad Farrugia. “The Scud is like nothing ever seen before in Japan,” said Farrugia, who spent time with one of Japan’s leading pump manufacturers, Matsusaka Engineering, as part of the launch. “Japanese buying groups and dealers were impressed by the product’s clean functional design, its OH&S friendly features and powerful cleaning capacity.” “It’s fantastic to see that Honda’s presence in the Aussie Scud product has helped catapult it into the international spotlight,” said Honda’s engine sales manager, Chris New. Further information visit www.aussiepumps.com.au. 70

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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

04/13

Email: info@brownbros.com.au

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

Web: www.brownbros.com.au

DELIVERING PUMPING SOLUTIONS

What’s New in Tyres BKT new compound for Agrimax BKT has commenced production of a newly developed compound for the 70 and 85 Series Agrimax agricultural tyres to reduce cut and chip occurrence, and improve wear resistance even under the harshest conditions. The company’s field engineers conducted market surveys in countries where BKT 70 and 85 Series Agrimax tyres were used to establish the magnitude of cut and chip levels under severe conditions. The study enabled them to identify the compound’s physical property governing

the cut and chip phenomenon and establish the minimum level required of the compound property to significantly reduce these occurrences under harsh conditions. A new compound was developed with optimized polymers, stronger reinforced black carbon and a more effective vulcanizing system. Extensive controlled testing for of the tyres with the newly developed compound proved a marked reduction of cut and chip and an overall wear improvement of more than 25%.

Visit BKT at Field Days: Farmfest – June 4-6 and Agquip – August 20 -22 to obtain discount vouchers of up to $100 off on your next BKT tyre purchase (conditions apply).

Dual wheels keep ATVs stable and safe

GKN supplies wheels to Armstrong Tyres

The new Clic range of wheels is proving popular with Australian farmers, contractors and operators of all types of small equipment. The wheels are designed to click on to an existing wheel and tyre assembly and are designed for vehicles like ATVs and large ride-on mowers. The additional wheels increase stability, particularly over uneven ground and along with better traction, provide improved protection against roll overs. The Clic wheel works by making use of an aluminium casting connector that attaches to wheel mounts. The rim and tyre centres on the spacer and is locked permanently in place. The installation is easily reversible and, if needed, the system also allows for additional spacers to be used in order to provide an even wider gap between the existing wheels and the new Clic wheels. Christian Allen is a stud cattle farmer in Australia and has used the Clic dual wheels system. His property is in Bathurst, west of Sydney, where the terrain and conditions can vary widely. He’s impressed by the noticeable improvement Clic duals have given him. “I feel the stability and increased protection against a roll-over are important benefits. I recommend them to anyone working on steeper country” said Allen. The Clic range has already proven popular in Europe with the increased flotation improving the powered axle’s traction, particularly in wet weather. The additional wheels also help to lower the vehicle’s overall centre of gravity and reduce the risk of roll-overs, particularly in steep and demanding terrain. Clic wheels are manufactured in Switzerland and available to Australian purchasers through any one of theTyres4U authorised tyre dealers.

Off-highway wheels manufacturer GKN will supply wheels to Armstrong Tyres and subsidiary Agritech Wheels for distribution in the Australian and Pacific Islands’ agricultural market. Armstrong Tyres has forged a reputation as an agricultural tyre and wheel technology and conversion specialist. The products will be shipped from GKN Wheels in Denmark and these will include standard and bespoke agricultural rims, disc centres and complete wheels. Armstrong Tyres subsidiary Agritech Wheels will offer a product range that includes diameters from 16” to 54”, and widths of 8” to 30”, to provide bigger, heavier wheels with greater load bearing capacity to meet the Australia’s climate and environment. The company’s in-house assembly capacity and extensive stock will enable fast turnaround and easy supply of special orders to customers across Australia to meet productivity demands. “We needed a supplier of wheel product we could rely on for quality and service. Not only is GKN Wheels’ company ethos very much in line with our own, we were also attracted to its willingness to share information, its industry reputation and understanding of its customer’s needs for quality and service,” said Armstrong Tyres managing director Michael Armstrong. “The Australian agricultural sector is strong with very good growth potential. Last year there were over 10,000 tractors sold, and sales were up 16% from the previous year." Agritech Wheels, a subsidiary of Armstrong Tyres, was established in 2011 to import and manufacture of all types of agricultural wheels using the components from local and international suppliers. “Working with Armstrong Tyres and Agritech Wheels presents an opportunity for a quality and service-orientated agricultural wheel manufacturer to lead the marketplace in Australia and the Pacific Islands; tackling issues of low quality imports and stockholding issues at the same time,” said Simon Harvey, global sales and marketing director at GKN Wheels.

For more information call 1800 788 688, or visit www.clicdualwheels.com.au. 72

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

What’s New in Tillage & Cropping Agtron monitors and Polywest mixers Western Australia-based importer and distributor Burando Hill introduced business and technical managers from its key Canadian technology suppliers to Australian agriculture through a series of visits to field days and leading farmers. Burando Hill has been successful with advanced rate and blockage monitors from Agtron Enterprises, and Polywest’s series of high capacity liquid and granular chemical mixing and handling systems marketed simply and accurately as The Handler. The company developed optical infrared-based systems, housed in stainless steel and incorporating electronics capable of consistent, accurate reporting – even registering build-up of fertiliser dust that disables lesser units. Especially with variable seasons and tight margins, the cost of unseeded strips in terms of reduced yields and financial returns really adds up. Development has now delivered Agtron systems that are ISO BUS compatible with the international Precision Farming systems that have become the standard technology in tractors and harvesters. This means a farmer can ‘add on’ Agtron monitoring to the standard onboard system and avoid the cost and cabin clutter of multiple, independent monitoring and control systems. Agtron offers upgrade kits that permit, for example, the farmer to easily link an Agtron monitor-equipped Morris air seeder with a John Deere tractor’s standard onboard display. “Australian farmers really appreciate

Burke Perry, director of Burando Hill Pty Ltd and Bill Baker, manufacturer and developer of the Agtron technology.

equipment that is simple, reliable, saves them time and money, and fulfills today’s safe working expectations,” Burando Hill’s regional manager Troy Croucher said. “While the Agtron monitoring systems for air seeders are based on

advanced technology that no-one else has matched, they are also way ahead in terms of consistent and reliable performance and easy installation and service.” For more information contact Burando Hill (08) 9821 4422.

App for harvest estimation Steinohrt Agriculture has an iOS (Apple iPhone/iPad) app for grain farmers, agronomists, insurance and finance companies. The step-by-step application gives farmers an efficient way to estimate their pre-harvest yield up to six week before harvest.

The current version is 1.07 and it can be used for: barley, canola, chickpeas, faba beans, field peas, lentils, lupins, oats, safflower, triticale and wheat. Soon to be released version 1.10 will include canary, corn, millet and sorghum. “The application has proven to be in strong demand for planning harvest

and storage requirements, budgeting, delivery estimates and crop insurance and finance purposes,” Steinohrt said. A Google Android version will also be released in the near future. For more information www.cropyieldcalculator.com.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Orthman stip till system wins in Toowoomba Grower Wayne Ziesemer has been able to significantly improve his operation since moving to the new Orthman 1tRIPr strip till system which is built to place fertiliser and prepare the seed bed in the one pass. Ziesemer runs a 1500-hectare cropping operation spread across two properties at Bongeen, 55 km west of Toowoomba, with his wife Leanne and parents Peter and Daph Ziesemer. His summer cropping operation includes a rotation of 500 hectares of sorghum with either 500 hectares of corn or cotton depending on seasonal conditions. His decision to move to the Orthman 1tRIPr six months ago was based on the machine’s ability to combine strip till and nutrient placement at two depths in the one pass. The Orthman 1tRIPr, distributed through Muddy River Agricultural, is built to perform in the heaviest of stubble with an ability to cut the soil surface and subsurface residue, while ensuring consistent depth due to its parallel linkages.

Wayne Ziesemer has been able to significantly improve his operation with the Orthman.

The new Orthman 1tRIPr strip till system to place fertiliser and prepare the seed bed in the one pass.

By comparison, conventional till systems can lead to soil compaction due to the increased number of passes required to plough or till the soil prior to fertiliser application. “We were impressed by the fact that the machine has been tried and tested in the United States with operators finding it can deliver up to 15% to 20% yield increases, which makes it an appealing choice for our operation” said Ziesemer. Potential fuel savings were also appealing. “Fewer passes translates to lower fuel costs which adds to our overall profitability,” he said. “Using the Orthman, we had a beautiful plant line to follow and we were exceptionally pleased with the consistency of the seed bed. A good seed bed means good yields so we’re looking forward to a promising season ahead.” Ziesemer’s machine has been modified to ensure it can meet the varied fertiliser requirements for both his irrigated and non-irrigated land.

“We ordered the 18.28 m model but had it modified so that it can fold to 9.14 m when working on our irrigated property, which requires smaller equipment due to the heavier soil,” he said. “Being able to space the machine accordingly gives us a lot of flexibility and saved us having to buy two pieces of equipment.” Two one-tonne anhydrous fertiliser tanks were attached to either side of the tractor during fertilising operations along with a 6000-litre Simplicity air cart which is towed by a John Deere 8360RT. “We planted our corn crops in early January as we got the rains on time. We were pleased with the strike and emergence rate of our corn which we put down to the previous working of the Orthman 1 tRIPr,” said Ziesemer. For more information visit www.muddyriver.com.au.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Unit 2, 204 Stickland Road East Bendigo Victoria 3550

Keech equipment for the tough jobs For growers operating in extremely tough environments, Keech has a range with numerous tungsten carbide tips and Keetuff, a weld-on metal configuration containing tungsten particles for extra wear life. Mixed farmer Steven Deutcher has used the system for the past 15 years after a fellow grower recommended Keech. “Around 200 hectares across our 3000 hectare property is extremely tough, with rocky soils making it difficult to sow our annual mix of barley, wheat and oats,” Deutcher said. “On average, we sow 1000 hectares of land, producing 2.5 tonnes per hectare across all crop types. “The majority of our crop is sold, but we also keep 150 tonnes per year to ensure an adequate supply of feed for our 2000 ewes and 250 breeding cows. “Having heavy duty drilling points means we can sow directly into all soil types – even the rocky areas - allowing us to make the most of our land.” While Deutcher has never measured the lifespan of his Keech ag points, their performance in difficult and rocky areas have kept him coming back. “We’ve never seen the need to shop

Keech has Keetuff a weld on metal configuration containing tungsten particles for extra wear life.

around. The system is also easy to bolt on, which can save us several hours when it comes to replacing the points. Any time we can save is a bonus given the size of our operation,” he said. Keech’s range of direct drilling points includes knife blades, single shoot seeding points and winged seeding points, varying in length, width and angle to suit individual seeding systems and soil types.

Deep tillage components available include a wide selection of shank assemblies and accessories with optional tungsten tips for growers working in tough soil types. Right across the range, a choice of adapters is available, enabling the Keech’s range to be fitted to a wide variety of equipment. More information at www.keech.com.au.

Labrador discs are long-term performers Great Western Tillage has been marketing the Labrador discs since 2004. During this time more than 23,000 discs have been supplied throughout Australia. The discs are working successfully on many different types of offsets; examples include 22” & 26” discs for the popular IHC 3-4 and IHC3-5 offsets, 28” discs for the Grizzly “S” offsets and 32” discs for the Alfarm 080 units. These machines work in varied soil conditions with virtually no adverse effects in the field. End user satisfaction is indicated by an increasing number of repeat customers who have decided to continue using the Labrador discs on their machinery. Improved wear capabilities coupled with the fact that the price is identical to traditional scalloped discs, ensures the end user gets value for money. To view a short video of the Labrador discs working in the field visit the Great Western Tillage website at www.gwtillage.com.au and navigate to the Discs & Coulters section. For more information call (07) 4636 9150. 76

Great Western Tillage has been selling Labrador discs since 2004.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Keech has designed and manufactured quality components for use across Australia’s agricultural sector for over 70 years, so we know how to make sure the design and quality of our components meet the unique demands of Australian conditions.

Keech is an Australian owned manufacturing company. ‘For more information on Keech’s product range and for details on where to source Keech tillage products, contact Keech Australia on 1300 4 KEECH

Keech’s extensive product range includes: • Minimum tillage points and adaptors • Deep tillage equipment • Sowing systems

Keech Australia

Crop Cruiser 6000 ups the ante Goldacres has upped the ante in the self-propelled sprayer market with the recent release of the Crop Cruiser Evolution 6000. The Goldacres self-propelled machine is one of few available in Australia factory fitted with a 6000 litre tank. Supported with a full factory warranty, the Crop Cruiser Evolution 6000 represents a major addition to Goldacres’ self-propelled line-up and offers farmers and contractors more hectares of spraying between fills. The new poly tank has been custom

made to suit a new tank cradle system that is designed to ensure excellent weight distribution on both axles of the machine. The Crop Cruiser Evolution 6000 is powered by a Cummins QSB 6.7L six cylinder turbo diesel engine coupled to an Allison 2500 Series five speed auto transmission. Power is efficiently delivered to the ground via Goldacres’ proprietary direct drive that features heavy-duty dual reduction drive sprockets mounted in the drop legs.

The Crop Cruiser 6000 is available in two or four wheel drive versions.

The Crop Cruiser 6000 is available in two or four wheel drive versions. Goldacres’ general manager Roger Richards said the Crop Cruiser 6000 was a direct engineering response to farming demands for self-propelled sprayers to cover more hectares. The Crop Cruiser 6000 is also available with Goldacres new 42 metre TriTech boom to further maximise efficiency and productivity. “We’d expected the machine to appeal to farmers in the WA wheatbelt and on larger properties, and we haven’t been disappointed with orders already coming through, but what has surprised us is the attraction to a 6000 litre capacity machine that comes with a full factory warranty,” said Richards. While Western Australian, enquiry has been very strong, there has also been healthy interest and orders from eastern states and South Australia. “We’ve also maintained our narrow 3.5m folded width meaning the Crop Cruiser 6000 is able to be driven on roads in most states without the need for an escort vehicle,” Richards said. For more information visit wwww.goldacres.com.au.

New air cart from Flexi-Coil Flexi-Coil has launched the largest air cart in its range, the new 5850. The threetank 20,439 litre capacity 5850 air cart features a new remote controlled auger that will help growers get more done in less time. “With farm sizes growing and an ongoing shortage of seasonal labour, growers need to be as productive as possible. They are demanding productive and efficient seeders which are easy to operate,” said Flexi-Coil Australia’s manager, Steve Mulder. “The 5850 is built to maximise efficiency, while taking ease of use to a whole new level.” The 5850’s ease of use has been improved with a new wireless remote control, which enables operators to quickly and easily position the auger 78

from the top of the tank or from ground level, eliminating the need to manually move the auger into place. “Operators have complete control over the auger positioning, with the ability to move it into position for quick filling and emptying for the changing of products,” Mulder said. Faster refills are also due to the auger’s size. “The 25cm auger allows the tanks to be filled quickly, maximising efficiency and minimising downtime,” Mulder said. The 5850’s down-draft metering system and exclusive air velocity sensors deliver seeding accuracy, which is critical for enhancing efficiency, ensuring the job is done right the first time. “Accuracy is maintained by an agitator bar that ensures a smooth product flow,

resulting in constant density and supply to the meter roller. The air and product are then mixed in a parallel flow, allowing it to be distributed evenly,” Mulder said. “Application rates can be set from the tractor cab with the FlexControl IV+ display with variable rate control functionality, further adding to the ease of use. “The 5850 is a large quad-wheeled cart on equal-sized 900/60-R32 R1W tyres for improved floatation and reduced ground pressure, reducing compaction.” The 5850 is a tow-behind cart with a variable drive configuration and a steerable front axle designed for use with Flexi-Coil PD5700 precision hoe drill or the 5500 air drill. More information at www.flexicoil.com.au.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

The company wiTh machines for all seasons Rakes that are renowned for their reliability

All mowers feature Quick Changes Blades

Short Disc Harrow that dig like no other

Poettinger Australia Pty Ltd. 15 Fordson Rd Campbellfield Vic 3061 Phone: 03 9359 2969 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fax 03 9359 6962

www.poettinger.com.au

PRODUCTS

What’s New in Products – General Equipment Grizzly – now and to the future Grizzly is certainly not a company to be sitting on its hands when it comes to new product future developments. It has 30 different models in more than 150 different configurations and sizes. Chances are if you need to work a paddock, grade a road, delve for clay, perform general ripping, bring up beds or fill tracks in your paddocks then Grizzly has the right machine. Continuing investment in research and development keeps the company improving machines and developing new models including a new disc seeder. Grizzly is into its third full season of testing with the new disc seeder and with more than 20,000 acres sown to date in the testing process the results have been very good. Over the 2012 growing season the disc opener units have been refined to give the machine market-leading features and a market-leading performance. These changes are sure to be a huge sales point when the time comes. Grizzly has indicated that the testing and development stage of any new machine is extremely important but when is comes to seeding its stepped up to an even higher level again.

Grizzly has 30 different models in more than 150 different configurations and sizes.

“There is no margin for error when you’re dealing peoples livelihoods and Grizzly is taking that responsibility seriously.” Grizzly marketing manager Skye Poltrock said. “It’s an exciting time for our company moving forward, and future customers

can be assured that a full and extensive testing program has been conducted before they go on the market which should give buyers confidence.” For more information call Grizzly on 1800 637 250 or visit www.grizzlyag.com.au.

New Holland combines efficiency and profitability New Holland’s CR series combines offer efficiency when harvesting as well as profitability and provide industryleading grain and straw quality. The CR’s twin rotor design provides high quality straw for baling, and is the choice for extensive operations where maximum throughput is required. With its spiral design propelling the crop gently backwards it’s highly efficient in ensuring effective threshing and separation. “After experiencing the twin rotor combine I have found not only do they handle the volume but produce a superior sample with far less grain loss,” said Geoff Perkins of Geoff Perkins Farm Machinery Centre. 80

One of Geoff’s customers, Roger Newman of Linton Park Farms, WA recently purchased a CR9090 after experiencing how well his current CR9070 performed during harvest. “We operate in hilly country and the CR performs well with the twin rotors ability to fill the whole sieve area, together with the self-leveling shoe, which avoids just one side of the sieve being loaded up,” he said. “I believe the twin rotor concept assists grain quality and quantity. We manage to get 24-25 tonne of canola per hour with a 40’ front”, said Newman. “While we know our grain quality is good we don’t measure the physical grain loss except to say when the

sheep go over the chaff cart stacks it is virtually undisturbed due to no grain content which speaks for itself. We also experience very little regrowth due to machine grain loss.” “I rely on my relationship with Geoff Perkins from Geoff Perkins Farm Machinery Centre to help me establish the term of the lease based on the hours the machine will do each season the and the trade in value at the end. "By financing my machine through an operating lease I am able to retain working capital for other farm improvements,” said Newman. More information at www.newholland.com.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Digga ramps up its product range Digga has introduced Ezi-Loada ramps to the Australian market. The new ramps are the light, strong and versatile, taking advantage of completely new designs for increased durability at an affordable price. Two new ramps have been launched: the Universal Ezi-Loada dual use ramp, suitable for use with rubber tyre and steel tracked machines, and the Clean Pass Ezi-Loada ramp for rubber tracks and tyres. “These ramps are 15% lighter and up to 20% more durable than ramps with older designs. They are built for earthmoving machinery and designed for safety, quality and performance,” said Digga founder and director of research and development Stewart Wright. “Ramp design in Australia hasn’t changed since steel was the main material used and even when aluminium was introduced, designs didn’t change significantly.” The Clean Pass ramps have been designed with a rung slotting system that cleans the wheels or tracks as the machine climbs the ramp, preventing the ribbed surface from being clogged with debris. “A patented, extruded, ‘double T’ shaped side beam rail guarantees exceptional strength and durability without adding weight,” Stewart said. “The profile of the load-bearing beams, which establish the ramp’s load capacity, guarantees exceptional bending strength, up to 20% higher than that of the other types of beams used by most of our competitors. “With other ramps the rungs are usually welded straight to the beam, which means the quality of the weld is the weakest link. On the Digga ramps, the rungs interlock into the body of the rail. No physical load is taken by the weld alone. The welds at top and bottom add strength, holding the rung in its fitted position.” On the Clean pass range there is a filled panel between every second rung, which is a single piece of aluminium. This adds strength to the ramp. The Universal ramp rungs are made from solid aluminium, rather than hollow bars.

Digga Ezi-Loada ramps are light but strong.

The start and finish rungs of the ramp have been reinforced and the unique design of the rungs provides the maximum grip for the machine, protecting the ramp itself and avoiding any possible slip or loss of grip during the loading/unloading activity. “In most ramps, the bottom rung is always the first to get damaged because that’s where all the stress is concentrated. With the Digga ramps, the lowest rung sits much lower to the ground, meaning machines don’t have to ‘ride’ up to get on the ramp. This reduces the pressure on those bottom rungs and ensures a longer lifespan,” said Stewart. The ramps also attach using three different methods – a pin, tongue or chain – for maximum stability depending on operator preference and application. “The versatility in attachment options means that you can use these ramps beyond just loading machines into trucks. You could use them to get a machine over a low concrete wall, for example, by using the chain attachment method,” Stewart said. “The materials and processes used to manufacture these ramps are so advanced that we are able to provide a more extensive 18-month warranty compared with most other ramp manufacturers, which only offer a 12-month warranty.” For more information contact Digga on 07 3807 3330 or visit www.digga.com.au.

Making TRAX with quality hand tools TRAX Kawasaki Australia is a family owned and operated import and wholesale company based in Melbourne Victoria. It offers a comprehensive range of good quality tools imported from Taiwan and Japan. The company has been established for 27 years offers excellent service to the rural sector through more than 500 stockists and outlets throughout the country.

The product range is very diverse and has most tools from pneumatic tools in ¼” to 1½” drive, to bearing removal tools, specialised Japanese lock nut shifters, stainless combination pliers and many other tools. All the products are guaranteed and backed by a comprehensive spare parts backup, have quick delivery and 99% stock holdings.

A catalogue of products is available and can be obtained by sending a request to Airtex Pty Ltd, PO Box 2719 Seaford BC Seaford, Victoria 3198. This catalogue will include the addresses of your stockists/distributors. Refer to the advertisement in this magazine for a sample of the product. More information call 1800 686 657.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

JawSaw a new style of chainsaw JawSaw is an electric limbing and trimming chainsaw, which makes a perfect tool for storm debris or tough pruning jobs. Designed and developed in Australia, the JawSaw takes the difficulty and danger out of using an ordinary chain saw, while making heavy-duty limb and brush work easy. What makes the JawSaw unique is the fact that the chain is enclosed by the jaw guard, protecting the user from the blade altogether. Not only does the jaw design provide extra safety, but the design also features steel teeth that hold on to the wood while cutting for extra stability.

The WORX JawSaw uses a patented auto-tension feature – an easy to use chain replacement and tensioning system that prevents over-tightening by automatically determining the proper chain tension. An automatic chain lubricator plus an oil level indicator also keeps the chain in tip-top condition for reliability and performance. Unlike conventional chainsaws, the JawSaw can be used to make cuts directly on the ground without fear of kickback or damage to the chain thanks to the specially designed jaw guard. For more information visit www.worxtools.com or call 1300 889 028.

Unlike conventional chainsaws, JawSaw can be used to make cuts directly on the ground.

Sandvik Rotoform for fertilizer manufacturing Inline mixing and granulation technology designed by engineering company Sandvik is helping fertilizer manufacturers add value to commodity materials. Using an end-to-end process that mixes liquid and/or solid products then converts them into uniform pastilles, producers are able to upgrade low value products such as sulphur and ammonium sulphate with the addition of urea, adjusting the ratio to suit specific crop needs. Other mixes and blends successfully produced on this system include ammonium nitrate derivatives, sulphur bentonite and NPK complex fertilizer. Production begins with accurate dosing and weighing of the materials to be combined, followed by mixing and, if necessary, grinding. The resulting solution is then fed in molten form to Sandvik’s Rotoform system, where it is deposited onto a continuously running steel cooling belt as droplets. The speed of the Rotoform drop depositor is synchronized with the speed of the belt to create hemispherical pastilles of a uniform size and shape. Cooling water sprayed against the underside of the belt absorbs the heat of the melt, resulting in controlled solidification. 82

Sandvik is helping fertilizer manufacturers add value to commodity materials.

After being discharged from the end of the steel belt cooler, the solid pastilles are conveyed away for storage or bagging. “A single line will deliver throughputs of up to 150 mtpd depend on the product,” said Sandvik’s Kumar Swamy, global product manager, fertilizers. “This level of capacity makes it

ideal for introducing speciality products, while rapid changeover between different blends enables product development and testing.” Rotoform is environmentally-friendly with low energy consumption, no visible dust emission and vapour levels that can easily be captured in a simple atmospheric absorber.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Strautmann the spreader for Otway Ag When Steve Lynch of Otway Ag Contracting found his belt spreader couldn’t handle the work, he looked at three top brands and chose a Strautmann VS 2004 universal spreader. He said the VS 2004 spreader has broadened the range of services he can offer and brought benefits to his own business and his customers. “Effluent ponds are a problem for many farmers. You’ve got to get rid of it. With the Strautmann I can put it where they need it, when they need it,” he said. “Because lots of people want to use solids from effluent ponds and mix in other materials for compost, I chose a big, low maintenance machine with horizontal beaters. “One of my customers used to spread urea on his dairy farm every month. A few years ago, he began using compost and liquid effluent and he hasn’t used urea or super phosphate since. “As a result, he’s got much more

clover in his pasture and his cows are producing more milk.” Lynch is based in Colac and travels as far as Swan Hill and parts of NSW to his customers. “If I’m coming out to do a job with the Strautmann spreader, word tends to get around and other people book me while I’m in the area,” he said. He offers a complete range of applica-

tions for liquid and solid effluent, lime and compost spreading, as well as hay/ silage, sowing and spraying work. “The spreader works in well with my 16,000 litre effluent tanker,” he said. “We can empty effluent ponds and put it straight onto summer crops.” In the paddocks, Lynch is able to travel at 12-15km/h with the universal spreader,

The VS 2004 spreader has broadened the range of services Steve Lynch can offer.

New Terex compact loader Terex compact machines with Tier 4i/ EU Stage IIIB compliant engines have been released. The new engines provide more power compared with their predecessors, with the TL120 wheel loader increasing in power by approximately 16% and the TW85 wheeled excavator increasing by approximately 11%. In addition to the engine changes, the TW and TL range of Terex machines have also benefited from many updates, such as the unique Terex Smart Control system, which increases productivity and aids operator comfort through its ergonomic design and the real-time data it supplies. The TL120 wheel loader has a number of new changes, including a new narrower front end, which allows a clearer view of attachments and loading resulting in more precise movements and increased productivity. A new temperature-controlled hydraulically operated fan starts automatically when required, reducing noise pollution and preserving the life of the cooling system. A reverse function is available for machines working in dusty environments. Popular features unique to Terex wheel loaders, such as parallel kinematics for powerful and precise

movement over the entire lifting range and the articulated steering with oscillating rear axle which gives exceptional maneuverability and allows the driver to sit parallel to the load at all times, are also included. For more information visit www.terex.com. New engines provide more power compared with their predecessors.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

Big Gehl’s a load of capacity Gehl has introduced a new vertical-lift V400 Skid Loader. The V400 boasts a rated operating capacity of 1814 kg and a true vertical lift height of 3647 mm. The all-new V400 is a true vertical lift machine, which means the lift path follows a vertical line as opposed to an ‘s’ shaped path offered by competitive vertical-lift models. Lifting up to 3647 mm, the V400 can easily load high trailers and trucks. With an unmatched rated operating capacity, there are few jobs this powerful machine cannot handle. The V400 comes with a Cummins diesel engine providing 442 Nm of torque and 99 gross horsepower (74 kW). The hydraulic fan with swing-out cooler reduces fuel consumption and noise levels, and provides improved service access. All daily maintenance and service checks can be performed through the large rear engine hood.

A high system pressure with standard high-flow of up to 154 L/min (40.8 gpm) is designed to handle virtually every high performance attachment. The standard level II ROPS/FOPS cabforward design optimizes the view to the

bucket. A side-folding restraint bar with adjustable armrests increases operator safety and comfort. For more information visit www.gehl.com or contact Manitou Australia: info.mau@manitou-group.com or (02) 9517 3174.

Gehl’s vertical-lift V400 Skid Loader with a rated operating capacity of 1814 kg.

Ad Blue tank Urea based diesel Ad Blue is being used as an aid in reducing emissions from diesel powered equipment in the transport and agricultural sectors. The ability to transfer, supply and deliver the additives like Ad Blue will require special equipment and Silvan Australia through its Selecta range has released a use-specific product in this area. The Silvan SelectaBlue 200 Litre Trukpak is a safe and compact means of transferring and delivering a 200 litre supply of Ad Blue. 84

The SelectaBlue Trukpak 200 litre tank is specially suited to the contents and has a 12-volt self-priming diaphragm pump together with a manual dispensing gun, a four metre length of delivery hose and a two metre length of cable with alligator clips to attach to a convenient battery power source. The tank has an empty weight of 21 kgs and four 8mm diameter threaded inserts set in the base of the tank to enable it to be permanently fixed or secured to the tray of a service vehicle. “The pump contains an internal bypass

that allows the pump to operate with the nozzle shut for up to three minutes,” said Silvan Selecta product specialist Greg Everett. “This enables sufficient time for the pump to be switched off after dispensing the material without damage to the pump.” The recommended retail price is $1399. For more information call 1300 SILVAN (1300 745 826) or email info@silvanaust.com.au or visit www.silvan.com.au.

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

This tiger protects from floods

BigBaler safer under pressure

The 2010-11 Queensland floods devastated much of the agriculture sector, causing significant losses and ongoing hardship, but a new Australian company is offering the industry a flood mitigation product, the Tiger Dam. Tiger Dam allows farm operators to direct water away from key produce, livestock, capital equipment and infrastructure. It can also prevent access roads from closure, allowing quick recovery from disaster. The system is patented and engineered with heavy-duty interlocking flexible tubes that form a continuous barrier to repel or contain liquids, including HAZMAT applications. The speed at which it can be deployed using only minimal manpower has broad applications in the agricultural industry. Aus Flood Control managing director Mark Bowater said he was motivated to find a solution that responded quickly to flood disasters and minimised exposure to crop damage, revenue loss and hardship. Tiger Dams can be stacked up to 10 metres high, seamlessly joined for any length and can be bent at 90 degrees to fit around obstacles. At the onset of a floodwater event, a Tiger Dam can be filled within minutes from any water source rather than relying on assistance that may be hours away. Additional applications include use as levee toppers, retention ponds, irrigation channels and safe water storage after floods or bushfire. Tiger Dam is currently being used in 26 countries around the world including the US, Canada and European Union countries, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. For more information visit www.tigerdams.com.au.

New Holland’s BigBaler range was designed with safety in mind because short cuts can be fatal. A unique safety system has been developed so that the front shield can only be opened when the baler is completely stationary: when the PTO has been deactivated and when the flywheel brake has been engaged. Operator safety has been enhanced, as there is no access to any moving components via the twine boxes. The flat service platform on top of the baler makes working at height safer, especially when combined with the grab rails. A dedicated needle-locking device is conveniently situated near the rear-access ladder and prevents access to the knotting system unless the lock has been engaged. The BigBaler can produce up to 110 bales/hour. The MaxiSweep pickup ensures constant feeding of an even greater volume of crop, with up to 20% capacity increases. Bale density has been improved by up to 5% with an enhanced pre-compression chamber that benefits from advanced SmartFill technology, with a network of sensors to guide the operator to maintain even flake formation for uniformly dense bales. Advanced PLM solutions such as the optional ActiveWeigh on-the-go bale weighing technology, can be recorded together with moisture content, date and time and the bale’s GPS location to create precise yield and field mapping data, so that inputs can be fine-tuned to increase productivity and profitability for future seasons. For more information visit www.newholland.com.

Trojan bench steels the show This Trojan steel cut-off bench was the winner of the North Queensland Field Days held inTownsville several years ago since then the popularity of the bench means it is now available in several states of Australia. Trojan steel cut off benches makes the job of cutting steel easier, faster, safer and more accurate. Incorporated into the 6-roller bench is a swivelling turntable for angle cutting, plus a specially designed length-cutting gauge that makes cutting multiples of steel the same length easier, safer and more accurate. It is fully adjustable to take all brands of saws and folds out to 2.4m. When folded it can be stored in an area that is less than a metre wide. More information at www.trojanbenches.com.au

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MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE AGCO Corporation.................................................................59 www.masseyferguson.com.au Ag Appointments Employment................................................40 www.agri.com.au Ag Show...................................................................................51 www.agshow.com.au Airtex Pty Ltd...........................................................................23 www.traxtools.com.au AUSblue...................................................................................37 www.ausblue.com.au Australian Pump Industries......................................................70 www.aussiepumps.com.au Bare-Co....................................................................................87 www.bareco.com.au Brown Brothers Engineers Aust. Pty Ltd..................................71 www.brownbros.com.au BYPY Transmissions.................................................................21 www.bypy.com.au Case IH....................................................................................57 www.caseih.com Clark Equipment Sales.............................................................54 www.clarkequipment.com CNH Australia (New Holland)................................................61 www.newholland.com Croplands........................................................................ 1 & 24 www.croplands.com.au Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days...................................49 www.dowerinfielddays.com.au Eastern Spreaders Pty Ltd.........................................................25 Elmore & District Machinery Field Days www.elmorefielddays.com.au

Fairbrother Industries Ltd........................................................67 www.kinghitter.com Farmscan Ag Pty Ltd................................................................43 www.farmscanag.com Great Western Tillage...............................................................75 www.gwtillage.com.au Grizzly Engineering..................................................................35 www.grizzlyag.com.au IB International..........................................................................9 www.ibinternational.com.au Keech Castings.........................................................................77 www.keech.com.au

Kuhn Farm Machinery Pty Ltd................................................11 www.kuhn.com.au KY General Engineering...........................................................33 McDougall Weldments............................................................38 www.mcdougallweldments.com.au Mingenew Lions Midwest Expo...............................................45 www.mingenewexpo.com.au Mirco Bros Pty Ltd.....................................................................8 www.mircobros.com.au Neil’s Parts..................................................................................2 www.neils.com.au Newdegate Field Days..............................................................52 www.nfday.com.au Poettinger Australia Pty Ltd......................................................79 www.poettinger.com.au Power Equipment Pty Ltd........................................................15 www.powerequipment.com.au Powerlite Generators................................................................17 www.powerlite.com.au Prime Engineering & Pumping Solutions.................................29 www.primeeng.net.au Procast Engineering..................................................................69 www.procastengineering.com.au Riverland Field Days................................................................50 www.riverlandfielddays.com.au Silvan Australia Pty Ltd............................................................65 www.silvan.com.au Southcott Hydraulics..................................................................7 www.southcott.com.au Starmaxx..................................................................................27 Techgrow Agriculture...............................................................39 www.techgrowag.com.au Tradefaire International............................................................13 www.tradefaire.com.au Trailco Irrigation......................................................................31 www.trailco.com.au Tyres 4U..................................................................................19 www.alliancetyres.com.au www.clicdualwheels.com.au Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics...............................................88 www.2wglobal.com Yorke Peninsula Field Days.......................................................53 www.ypfielddays.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN FARMERS’ & DEALERS’ JOURNAL - MAY 2013

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Equipment Processing Centre

Our dedicated Australian facilities provide superior quality and on time delivery across the following services: • Product preparation • Accessorising services • Storage and Inventory management • Build planning

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