HarvestTECH News | Issue 23

Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News.

The latest Covid-19 outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand highlights a major difference in how both countries lockdown. While the Australian timber industry are deemed an essential service and continue to operate, virtually all businesses across New Zealand were forced to close while on level 4 restrictions.

There will always be a debate on how effective locking down businesses in rural sectors are. Outbreaks in NSW and Victoria have, until now, largely been contained within the capital cities. For New Zealand though, the all or nothing approach has been successful so far with the forestry and wood products industries under level four lockdown rules doing their bit.

Covid-19 and the 2020 Australian fires have, unfortunately, also forced the cancellation of AUSTimber 2020/21. This four-yearly expo was the largest forestry event in Australia and will especially be missed by the Australian harvesting and log transport community.

The big industry news this month was the ban on methyl bromide fumigation aboard ships in New Zealand and strict rules put in place for other use cases. Methyl bromide is being phased out globally and NZ is aiming to disincentivise its use locally. A future with hydrogen-powered heavy trucks is also a little closer today. Australia will see the first trucks come into operation in the first half of 2022. Coregas, based in NSW, is replacing their existing diesel trucks and expects to reduce emissions by 50%.

Check out these stories and much more below. Enjoy this month’s issue.

Remember, please send through any stories or video you want us to pass onto the wider wood harvesting and log transport community.