CNH backs NSW ag college

Tocal College, and agricultural college located to the north-west of Newcastle (NSW), is set to benefit from a new arrangement with CNH that will see it secure two tractors over three years.

The new partnership will see CNH deliver a Case IH Puma 165 and a New Holland T7.230 to the agricultural training provider, allowing students to get hands-on experience with this vital ag sector tool.

“This is such a valuable collaboration, in that it provides the most up-to-date and technologically advanced machinery to share with our students, so they have the knowledge and skills they need to best equip them for life after college,” said Darren Bayley, Tocal College Principal and Centre Director.

“And, it not only allows us to introduce our younger full-time students to this type of technology, we can also use the machinery to upskill our current workforce and the hundreds of trainees we’re supporting in the field.”

CNH National Key Accounts Manager Tobie Payne said the company was proud to continue its investment in rural and regional communities, and to assist in training the next generation of Australian farmers at Tocal College.

The agreement will also see CNH utilise the college’s facilities for staff and customer training, while Case IH and New Holland will be major sponsors of the looming Tocal Field Days, to be held over May 3-5, where the brands will display a wide array of their products.

“CNH and local dealers Double R New Holland and KP & DC Machinery are excited to partner with Tocal to showcase our world-leading technology and products,” Tobie said.

“Australian farmers are global leaders in technology adoption and are actively managing two farms – a physical farm and a digital farm. This partnership exposes students to the digital side of farming, a critical tool in driving efficiency and profitability for our customers.”

The tractors will be upgraded to the latest model available every year with the newest suites of technology.

“Precision ag is such a big part of the future of agriculture, so to have students immersed in this training, and to have this type of machinery here means we can expose them to today’s technology and where it’s going,” said Rob Rein, Tocal Cluster Manager.

“This is what will continue to drive increased efficiency and profitability for agricultural enterprises, so for our students to have the chance to get on board right at the beginning is just so important.

“The industry is rapidly evolving, and we want to be at the forefront of providing students with the skills they’ll need. They can get real hours up in these tractors and learn how to maximise the potential of this machinery as part of a successful farming operation.”

The tractors will soon be pressed into service at the college’s 2225ha property, which spans commercial dairy, beef, poultry and cropping operations.

“We farm a lot of ground, so the tractors will be put to work almost immediately on activities around winter crop preparation and pasture improvement,” Rob said.

“They’ll be a really valuable addition to our fleet.”

Photo: From left, Neil Mudd (Case IH KP & DC Machinery), Tobie Payne (CNH Industrial), Rob Rein (Tocal College) and Matt Jackson (Double R New Holland).