W:\MKTG\PRESS\Vaderstad\2011\Väderstad Tempo Is Breaking New Ground 9-11-2011.docx

C B NORWOOD DISTRIBUTORS LTD MEDIA RELEASE VADERSTAD TEMPO IS BREAKING NEW GROUND PALMERSTON NORTH – (9th November 2011) – A brand new Väderstad planter, Tempo, will shortly be launched in the international marketplace and will take its place amongst some of the most of innovative seeding system developed in recent years. Tempo is designed for the high-speed precision planting of maize, corn, cotton and sunflower crops. The Tempo has resulted from the largest research and development project the Swedish family run business has ever undertaken. Maize, corn, cotton and sunflower crops differ from grain in that in order to achieve their optimum yield potential they need to be planted with only eight to ten seeds per square meter, evenly spaced and on a specific depth for optimal emergence. Something the Tempo does with great precision. Sales and marketing of the Tempo started with the official launch at Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany and the first Tempo will be rolling off the production line early next year. “With the Väderstad Tempo we see enormous opportunities in countries like Hungary, Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia”, says Lars Thylén at Väderstad. This is also where countless field trials have been carried out throughout the project. In addition markets such as New Zealand will also benefit from this exhaustive testing and development. Performance is a key feature, and in order that vibration is minimised at high outputs created by high forward speed the row unit is designed with trailing gauge wheels, connected to a walking tandem. This is to ensure a smooth ride of the row unit and thereby a true depth precision of the seeds. To ensure an optimal seed to soil contact the row unit is equipped with a press wheel directly after the seed tube. The Gilstring Meter The designers have searched for new innovations in the development of the Tempo over the last five years. Gert Gilstring, one of the driving forces in the project, is very excited about the technically advanced solutions, and the end result. The new metering and delivery system supports pressurized seed transport making the planter insensitive to slope, vibration and speed. A Tempo pioneer in Ukraine Earlier this year the Ukrainian farmer Sergey Doktorov planted over 333 hectares of corn and 110 hectares of soybeans with the Tempo. The planter’s capacity made it possible to plant over 120 hectares of corn in one single day. In addition, the recent Norwood Globetrotters tour in July visited Sergey’s operation some two hour’s drive south of Kiev and the group saw for themselves the very impressive results of these planting trials. In spite of the high speed the outcome of the seeding operations were very promising. Mr. Doktorov was especially curious as to how the Tempo could cope with precision and accuracy. He soon found out that Tempo kept its promises. The seed depth placement was on average 5.2 cm and the variation less than +/- 0.3 cm. “The result was far above our expectations”, says Sergey Doktorov.

PRESS RELEASE

W:\MKTG\PRESS\Vaderstad\2011\Väderstad Tempo Is Breaking New Ground 9-11-2011.docx

2The Tempo website goes live Väderstad’s first planter Tempo has been launched across several markets in Europe. In conjunction with the launch Väderstad is now presenting a dedicated website to the Tempo. Click to explore: www.vaderstad.com/tempo At the site you can witness: • Interviews with the European farmers who tested the Tempo during the research and

development phase • Väderstad’s designers tell their story about the largest research and development project in

Väderstad’s history as well as revealing the countless trial results • An interactive function is available showing the relationship between pace, amount of

hectares planted per day and the economic impact the Tempo’s precision has on the yield. Images: 1. Tempo Studio.jpg 2. Tempo VVAB_FRA11-8690_high.jpg

Caption: The planter Tempo during one of the first trials in France 3. Tempo VVAB_FRA11-8845_high.jpg

Caption: Tempo is making an entrance to the world as a six- and eight-row planter and its revolutionary seed meter is the key to its successful performance

For More Information Contact C B Norwood Distributors Limited P O Box 1265 Palmerston North Telephone: (06) 356-4920 Facsimile: (06) 356-4939 E-mail: webmaster@norwood.co.nz Website: www.vaderstad.co.nz