Hands-Free Farming to Showcase the Future of Agriculture
A bold new project will combine technologies including autonomous vehicles, drones, sensors, data analytics, geospatial mapping and remote sensing to create Australia’s first fully automated farm. At a cost of $20 million, the Global Digital Farm will be established at the AgriPark at Charles Sturt University’s Wagga Wagga campus across 1,900 hectares, operated entirely without […]
AUS UK FTA Could Add $1.3B Annually to Australian Economy
Australia is one step closer to strengthening trade ties with the United Kingdom after it was announced that an in-principle free-trade agreement was reached earlier this month. Higher commodity quotas, the phased removal of trade tariffs on agricultural produce, a relaxation of visa requirements and better recognition of professional qualifications are thought to be the […]
Australia Vulnerable to African Swine Flu, NFF Warns
The National Farmers’ Federation has renewed calls for tighter biosecurity systems, amid the interception of parcels containing pork products contaminated with African Swine Flu and Foot and Mouth disease. “Fortunately, in this instance the offending products were detected at the border, however all it takes is one missed parcel to put the productivity, profitability and […]
Automation Driving Sustainability and Productivity for the Red Meat Industry
As the popularity of Australian red-meat has increased over the past decades, the supply chain has been challenged to adapt and innovate in order to maintain the throughput required by customers – both domestic and international. Other challenges for the industry include a shortage of labour and a more recent focus on achieving a carbon […]
Nanotechnology: The Next Step for Precision Agriculture
What do chemical weapons, sun screen, tennis balls and chewable dog wormers have in common? They’re all examples of products developed with the use of nanotechnology – the manipulation of incredibly small particles (less than 100 nanometres) with the aim of improving the properties of objects – from textiles to computers and pharmaceutical drugs. Revered […]
Mice Plague Continues as Farmers Look to Winter for Relief
Farmers across New South Wales and Queensland, as well as parts of Victoria and South Australia continue to battle mice plagues of once-in-a-lifetime proportions. As many growers look to sowing winter crops, trying to get a handle on mice populations is an unwelcomed distraction. On a University of Sydney research farm at Narrabri in New […]
Dual-Purpose Cropping Leads to Record Breaking Canola Yield
The use of dual-purpose cropping on Mayfield Farm near Oberon in New South Wales has restored the farm from a “dustbowl” to a productive business with record-breaking canola yields. Farm Manager Peter Brooks attributes the yield – 7.16 tonnes / hectare – to the practise of dual-purpose cropping and favourable growing conditions. Mr Brooks sowed […]