Farms of the Future expansion program
8 videos • 157 views • by NSW Agriculture The Farms of the Future program will deliver on-farm connectivity solutions to five target regions in rural NSW and encourage farmers to adopt Agtech to boost productivity, increase competitiveness and improve sustainable use of resources in the agricultural sector, including water efficiency and drought preparedness. The NSW Government has committed $48 million to the expanded Farms of the Future program, which is part of the Regional Digital Connectivity program, and funded by the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund. The program is part of the Future Ready Regions strategy, that lays out the government’s plans to support and work with regional communities, farmers, and industries, enabling them to become more self-reliant and better prepared for the impacts of future drought events and other economic shocks. Pilot Program Led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the Farms of the Future pilot program (2020 -21) installed a range of commercially available connectivity solutions and field sensor technology on three NSW properties to test and demonstrate the benefits that can be delivered to farming via Agtech. The pilot program video series provides an overview of the Agtech installed, and the grower's feedback on the technology. Via a series of webinars, the growers answered live questions from other farmers and industry representatives The pilot program reviewed the usefulness of the technologies deployed to determine if the technology met the needs of the growers, including: 1. Water management – monitor water levels and make informed decisions on water needs 2. On farm connectivity – IoT connectivity over the whole property 3. Security – monitor the security of equipment and stock over multiple locations, plus as a way of double checking that sensors are showing accurate information 4. Stock management – gathering information in the paddock instead of yards NSW Pilot Farms Farm 1: Mixed Dryland Farming (Coonamble) – Owner/Manager Brian Ditchfield, Brolga Farm 2: Irrigated Broad Acre Cropping (Narromine) – Owner/Manager Rob Tuck, Tuck Ag Farm 3: Horticulture and Cattle Enterprise (Blayney) – Owner/Manager James Crossing, Angullong