The AgQuip Field Days are used by many manufacturers as a launching place for the latest farm machinery, so this month we made the trek to Gunnedah, NSW, to check things out.
Event coordinator Kate Nugent says she is delighted by the support shown to this year’s event. She says a good season so far ensured a buoyant atmosphere as the enthusiastic crowd flowed through the gates of the Commonwealth Bank- sponsored event in record numbers from August 16-18.
Once again there was strong interest to see who won the prestigious Brownhill Cup for of innovative farming practices that improve sustainability, productivity and profitability in agriculture.
This year the trophy was awarded to Greg Rummery, an agronomist from New South Wales’ Walgett region who, over the last 30 years, has displayed commitment to research and collaboration to create more sustainable methods of farming.
On the product side, Croplands launched the GVM Mako 450 lightweight, self-propelled boom spray, Serafin showed off its new all-in-one 6m double disc seeder suited to both grain and pasture seed application, tillage and seeding equipment manufacturer Simplicity drew massive interest in its new 30,000-litre trail behind air-seeder cart, and, with hay season on our doorstep and the arduous job of transporting and stacking large square bales ahead, Merlo released a new line of telehandlers designed specifically for the agricultural industry.
Hatz Diesel Australia showcased its new 62kW 4H50 engine, which managing director Sami Almogawish says is the first water-cooled engine the company has made, is the smallest in its power range and is up to 90kg lighter than its nearest competitor.
Of particular interest to me this year was Yamaha’s unveiling of the Shark X-16, which is the world’s first fully certified helmet developed for ATV users. The 1200g helmet features top-quality cooling ventilation, is Bluetooth ready, has built-in ear slots to allow for easy hearing and, importantly, has a user friendly buckle system.