Industry groups partner in three-year program to progress an industry code for autonomous farm machinery in Australian agriculture
Grain Producers Australia (GPA), the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia (TMA) and the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia (SPAA) will work together on an industry-led initiative to navigate the arrival of autonomous farm machinery in Australia.
The three key industry groups have worked together since 2019, developing the national Code of Practice for Agricultural Mobile Field Machinery with Autonomous Functions in Australia.
The code of practice was developed as a practical guide for autonomous machinery users to follow to meet standards required under environmental, agricultural and health and safety legislation.
GPA southern grower director Andrew Weidemann said the code was finalised in late 2020, and would now be promoted as an industry-led initiative.
“This partnership aims to take the Code forward and build on this momentum, to ensure it remains relevant to the pragmatic development and delivery of future initiatives and partnerships aimed at improving the adoption of this technology, and benefits for growers,” he says.
Weidemann adds the partnership will help increase the level of awareness and knowledge about the development and use of autonomous machinery for the Australian grains industry and broader farm sector.
TMA executive director Gary Northover says the partnership will help ensure users were broadly on the same page.
“This partnership will involve a number of proactive activities including an annual survey of growers to understand how they’re thinking and feeling about this technology – and their awareness of the important role our Code plays in supporting its evolution and use,” he says.
SPAA President Phil Honey adds that farmers need to see the benefits autonomous machinery can bring to their business and why they should adopt it.
“This partnership will help to understand and analyse where growers are at with their knowledge and understanding – whilst also recognising the Code’s role in supporting better safety outcomes,” he says.