$33 million Agtech program expanded to support more farmers across NSW

The Farms of the Future Program is designed to drive the uptake of state-of-the-art agriculture technology which is estimated to boost on-farm productivity by up to 25%, equating to a $3 billion increase in GVP per year.

Agtech includes new technologies and innovations that have the potential to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture.

It includes sensors and devices that enable real time monitoring of on-ground conditions such as weather, soil moisture and water supplies as well as devices, hardware and software that enable automation and robotics.

The expanded Farms of the Future program, which previously targeted 11 LGAS, will now be open to all NSW farmers and will be more sharply focused on accelerating the adoption of Agtech and education around it.

The program will also focus on addressing key barriers faced by farmers in the take up of Agtech such as on-farm connectivity, digital capability, unclear benefits and poor user experience.

Changes to the program include a broader education offering, ensuring farmers feel equipped with the knowledge and expertise they need to get the most out of Agtech on their property.

Changes to the program, which has now been extended to 2028, include:

• Industry specific training courses which cover fundamentals right through to aspects of new technology.
• Demonstration Hubs, located in 10 DPIRD research stations across the state, will allow farmers to witness firsthand how devices operate in real farm settings, observe the data collected, understand how farms use this data.
• Agtech Alley which is a designated space for Agtech suppliers at major field days to connect directly with farmers.
• Agtech Toolbox which is an extensive resource offering articles, case studies and how-to-videos.

Further information on The Farms of the Future Program is available here.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

"The changes to our Farms for the Future program are about helping more farmers understand and reap the enormous benefits of Agtech including increased productivity, better farm management and greater connectivity.

"Agtech provides more reliable and current information, helping farmers make better and quicker decisions that supports both productivity and sustainability.

"This transition to a broader state-wide program, will help farmers really embrace Agtech solutions and ensure they are supported every step of the way.

Case Study

Michael and Helen Payten: 'Alfalfa' outside Canowindra, Central Western NSW

Michael and Helen Payten run a mixed enterprise farm with 50% cropping and 50% pastures for sheep on their 1,180 hectare farm, 'Alfalfa' outside Canowindra.

They manage 3,500 breeding ewes and 100 hectares of irrigated lucerne, producing a mix of small and large bales.

Technology currently being used on Alfalfa and connectivity utilised includes spray advisory system, weather station, hay storage monitoring, fuel level monitor.

Michael Payten said:

"We have benefitted greatly from being involved in the Farms of the Future Program. There is great Agtech available, and this program gave us the confidence and momentum to adopt some new technologies.

"The spray advisory system we have installed is becoming a crucial factor in determining optimal spraying windows.

"It combines all the key data including temperature, wind, delta T, humidity & potential inversion layers and takes out the risk of poor spray outcomes, a win for both crop production and the environment."

Helen Payten said:

"We're very happy with the tank monitoring, complete with alerts. With four water supply tanks fed primarily by solar pumps, we were always anxious and constantly needing to check tank levels.

"With livestock needs and house water supplies dependent on the tanks, we now get early warning if there's a sudden fall. It gives great peace of mind."

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