AgTech Finder

Vertical farming, or controlled environment agriculture, allows produce to be grown anywhere from the middle of the world’s mega cities to remote islands – or even up in space.   This technology could solve supply chain problems in a world facing an increasingly erratic climate, but as we hear in this episode, one challenge is deciding what crops to grow to make vertical farming profitable given t...

The use of microorganisms to improve the health and production of animals is an emerging field within the livestock industry.   In this episode, we look at the impact microbial technology and products are having in the dairy industry.  We’re joined by vet and ruminant nutritionist Dr Paul Cusack who explains how new technological advances will improve the way researchers are able to study microbes...

Artificial intelligence and machine vision is groundbreaking technology allowing for the autonomous detection of anything from weeds to livestock disease.   In this episode we speak to principal agtech scientist for the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Paul Stewart, about how challenges like connectivity are being overcome to allow for AI camera detection to be more widely adopt...

Soil moisture probes were one of the first pieces of agtech used by farmers, but things have changed a bit since the 90s. In this episode we hear about how soil moisture probes are informing growers on soil temperature and fertility, how they can be integrated with other sensors, and how data can be sent wirelessly to your phone.   Liam Southam-Rogers from Applied Horticultural Research gives an o...

You’ve collected all this data on your livestock, now what?   It’s a common conundrum when it comes to agtech adoption, but it’s a question livestock analytics platforms are looking to solve.   In this week’s episode we’re joined by livestock agtech adoption specialist and podcast regular, Penny Schulz, who says collating data is not a new concept, but technology that analyses and visually present...

Robot farm machinery is no longer a sci-fi fantasy, it’s already on-farm and impacting how farmers manage their operations.  In this episode, podcast regular, Food Agility CRC Chief Scientist, Professor David Lamb explains that  although autonomous technology is now available there’s still work to be done to ensure our farms and our farmers are ‘robot ready’.  We hear from Jack Rudd from Swarm Far...

In this episode we’re talking about traceability and transparency within supply chains – what’s possible with the agtech available and the challenges of seeing that technology adopted by industry.   Hear from expert Steve Capell, who consults for the Australian Government and volunteers for the UN, running a project called the United Nations Transparency Protocol. He explains how the adoption of t...

In this episode we’re talking about LoRa, a connectivity option for agtech monitoring devices that can be used in rural areas, across long distances.   Connectivity is often a stumbling block for farmers looking to adopt agtech, particularly for the many growers who don’t have reliable phone signal across their property.   But LoRa is helping to fill the gap – it's a long-range, low power option t...

In this episode we’re talking about soil carbon – we discuss both the opportunities and challenges the measurement and improvement of soil carbon can present for farmers.   We’re joined by Cam Nicholson, a soil carbon consultant and agronomist. He explains new technology that is being developed to measure carbon and the pitfalls farmers can fall into when carbon accounting.   We speak to Precision...

In this episode we’re talking about the use of agtech and data-driven decision-making within the seafood industry.   We’re joined by Julie Petty, from Seafood Industry Australia, who talks us through everything from the automation of fish feeding to decarbonisation.  We also speak to professor Shauna Murray, from the University of Technology Sydney, who’s been heading up the Transforming Australia...

In this episode we’re talking about virtual fencing and monitoring technology that could be transformative for the dairy industry.  We’re joined by Dairy Australia’s Emily Samyue to give us an overview of the role agtech plays within the industry.   We then travel across the ditch to speak to Steve Crowhurst from New Zealand-based company Halter. Halter’s smart cow collars predominantly use sound...

Today we’re speaking about technology helping producers monitor their livestock’s health and emissions - picture being able to breathalyse a cow to see if she's pregnant or finding out about methane emissions when the steers eat at the trough. We speak to Food Agility CRC chief scientist David Lamb about how more extensive, large-scale farming, combined with a reduced workforce, has led to agtech...

In this episode we’re speaking about tools that help farmers assess and plan for changes in climate.   A lot of the agtech we speak about is used by farmers to help with everyday decision making. But the tools we’re hearing about in this episode are mostly focused on long-term management, how to prepare for a future that might be decades or even generations away.   We speak to Dr Tim Cowan a Senio...

In this week’s episode we’re talking about innovations and technology within the shearing industry.   The wool and shearing industry is probably not the first people think of when it comes to agtech, being one of the more traditional within agriculture.   But the shearer shortage and rise of large sheep within the industry has encouraged the sector to develop new technology that will offer wool gr...

In this episode we’re talking about technology helping growers improve water efficiency on-farm.   We’re joined by podcast regular, Food Agility CRC chief scientist, David Lamb, who tells us about the role agtech will play in reporting growers’ water efficiency credentials to consumers.   We speak to Goanna Ag’s John Pattinson about their smart irrigation management solution, GoField. GoField is u...

In this episode we’re speaking about pasture management and the technology helping producers maximise profit and protect their environment.   We welcome back South Australian sheep and cattle farmer and agtech adoption specialist Penny Schulz, who tells us about how technology in this area has undergone a major step change in recent years.   We speak to Cibo Labs co-founder Phil Tickle about their...

In this episode we’re talking about communication. It’s a topic at the heart of agtech adoption and there are also now agtech tools and platforms available to help the industry disseminate knowledge and build communities.   We speak to Food Agility CRC chief scientist David Lamb about the correlations between the use of social media and agtech adoption.   We’re joined by Emma Ayliffe, an agronomis...

In this episode we’re talking about agtech integration, whether that’s bringing together technologies and services from different providers to leverage more value – or fully-integrated systems that not only provide information but take action.  We speak to Matt Anderson from Farmers2Founders about how agtech partnerships are able to offer more comprehensive and streamlined decision-making data to...

In this episode, we’re talking about drought resilience, particularly feeding through droughts.   Feeding stock can be one of the most time consuming, expensive and mentally challenging aspects of a drought.   We speak to independent sheep consultant Anthony Shepherd from Sheepmatters about how technology is helping producers decide which stock to sell and which to feed through a drought.   We als...

In this episode we’re talking about building trust when it comes to sharing farm data.   Data is now one of the world’s most valuable commodities and needs to be protected, but we know that sharing data can improve profit and production on-farm. So how can farmers confidently share data with third parties like agtech providers?   This is a question the National Farmers' Federation sought to addres...

In this episode we’re talking about Smart Farms and the role they’re playing in driving and de-risking agtech adoption.   We speak to Food Agility CRC chief scientist professor David Lamb about how artificial intelligence will be used to collate data and inform decision-making.   We also hear from Ian Layden from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Gatton Smart Farm. Gatton Sma...

In this episode we’re talking about drones. Many farmers have gone out and bought a drone with big plans, only for it soon to be sitting on the shelf collecting dust. But in this episode, we hear about some of the ways that farmers are using the technology effectively on-farm.   We speak to agricultural drone trainer Fiona Lake about improving adoption by busting the myths that surround drones.  ...

In this episode, the last of season one, we’re talking about traceability and the technology being utilised to prove a product’s provenance.   We speak once again to Food Agility CRC chief scientist David Lamb about consumers’ growing demand for knowledge about the products they’re purchasing and traceability’s role in preventing food fraud.    We talk to Source Certain’s Katherine Campbell about...

This episode we’re talking about livestock management technology found in the paddock, the yards or the shearing shed.   We’re joined once again by South Australian sheep and cattle farmer and agtech adoption specialist Penny Schulz, who tells us about how technology is improving safety and efficiency and reducing labour requirements.    We speak to Optiweigh’s Max Laurie about their in-paddock we...

In this episode we’re talking about technology that advises growers on when and how to spray in order to improve spray efficacy and reduce the risk of spray drift.   We speak to Food Agility CRC chief scientist David Lamb, who explains why hazardous inversions can cause spray particles to travel tens of kilometres.   We’re also joined by INCYT founder Simon Blyth who talks about their latest spray...