Top 5 farm machinery news of 2018

It has been a massive year of new product reveals, with manufacturers breaking new ground (Massey Ferguson launching its first self-propelled sprayer in Australia), and companies looking to further expand their presence Down Under. (Mahindra launching not one, not two, but seven new machines)

However, it hasn’t been all about the big guns - the greens and the reds that we are all familiar with. In our own backyard, local businesses and farmers have been tinkering around and coming up with brilliant machines that cater to local conditions only they know best. And we all love a local success story.

Here are the five news stories that got you talking in 2018.

Heavy vehicle transportation red tape is often the bane of farmers lives, considering they often have to move their machines from paddock to paddock.

Recognising this, VicRoads has amended its dated regulations to better cater to farmers’ current needs and the latest farming trends, such as ever growing machinery widths, sizes and weights.

A self-propelled mower is the kind of machine that you don’t see much of in the market, looks amazing, is something people would love to own but cannot justify, except if you are a contractor. Like a sports car, or an expensive painting.

Krone is well known for its hay tools and offers just about everything under the sun you need to make, fluff, bale and wrap hay. Its Big M self-propelled mower in particular is one serious workhorse that caters to contractors who work day in and day out during hay season cutting and conditioning hay ready for baling.

In 2018, the Big M got even bigger and better with the M450CR, with a few new features thrown in for good measure.

We know the big boys toys are always the head-turners (the bigger the better!), but this story is proof that smaller units are as in demand as its bigger counterparts, especially considering the tight financial situation the general farming community is in at the moment.

Case IH’s latest addition to its self-propelled sprayer stable is the small but nimble Patriot 2230 catering to smaller operations such as vegetable farms. While small, it packs a serious punch!

It takes plenty of courage and resources to go up against the machinery giants from overseas, so we love it when we hear about local enterprises coming up with innovative machines that give the big companies a run for their money.

Berrima is one such manufacturer, based in the Riverina region, and has been making award-winning hay rakes and tedders for years. Its latest innovation, the Multi-Ted 12-6 is a versatile and robust unit designed to gently but effectively fluff up hay to increase drying time and improve fodder quality.

It was such a well thought out machine that it went on to bag the 'Best Australian designed and manufactured machine' award at the 2018 Henty Machinery Field Days.

Indian automotive and ag machinery manufacturer Mahindra certainly didn’t hold back when it comes to announcing its global expansion and domination plans.

In one of the biggest launches of the year in Australia, the company unveiled not one, not two but seven brand new tractors to rival the big players in the local tractor market.

Their selling points? Simple yet grunty compact machines with attractive price tags.

Such a bold plan and lavish launch on the Gold Coast attracted the biggest amount of attention this year on farmmachinerysales, it perhaps even had some manufacturers shaking in their boots!

Watch the launch video