Farmers across NSW are taking on training ahead of a state grant rollout designed to help lift the adoption of new agricultural technologies
The grant stage of the NSW government’s $48 million Farms of the Future program is set to roll out early next year and the training programs required for eligibility are still underway.
The ‘Monitoring your farm with Agtech’ course was developed jointly by the Farms of the Future program and Tocal Agricultural College.
They can be delivered online as well as through a series of in-person workshops currently being held around the state.
The aim of the course is to help farmers develop a monitoring plan for their business, including a farm map, identification or pain points and addressing their needs for connectivity and devices.
Member of the NSW Legislative Council Scott Barrett has met with local viticulturists enrolled in the first Farms of the Future training course in Orange.
He says the Farms of the Future training program is essential for producers to see first-hand the benefits of agtech and how it can be implemented on-farm.
“The Farms of the Future program is all about encouraging producers to adopt and integrate connectivity and digital solutions to boost productivity, increase competitiveness, and improve resource management,” Barrett says.
“This agtech training aims to build producers’ skills and confidence to use new technologies so they can make an informed investment for their farm.
“Through the training, producers will prepare a digital installation plan for their farm and learn how agtech can save them time, money, labour and fuel, while improving their productivity and outputs.”
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole says the Farms of the Future program was part of the NSW government’s vision for building a stronger agricultural sector.
“The NSW primary industries sector is a $20.9 billion economy, and this could see substantial growth in the future through more widespread use of agtech and digital connectivity that enables producers to work smarter, not harder,” Toole says.
“This is about putting farmers in the best position to make investment decisions about the best tech solutions for their farm that factors in connectivity needs and how to ensure these systems talk to each other.
“Farmers who have completed the training will be eligible to apply for funding in the new year to enable access to agtech devices from the program’s approved supplier catalogue, which will be made available later this year.”
The one-day training program is a prerequisite for eligibility to apply to the Farms of the Future funding program, expected to open in January 2023.