The program will also be expanded to help more farmers across the state boost productivity, improve on-farm technology and connectivity.
The NSW Government’s Farms of the Future program is designed to drive the uptake of state-of-the-art agriculture technology, which is estimated to boost on-farm productivity by up to 25 per cent.
This equates to a $3 billion increase in gross value of production per year.
Agtech includes new technologies and innovations that have the potential to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture.
It includes sensors and devices that enable real time monitoring of on-ground conditions such as weather, soil moisture and water supplies as well as devices, hardware and software that enable automation and robotics.
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said the expanded Farms of the Future program, which previously targeted 11 local government areas, will now be open to all NSW farmers.
It will be more sharply focused on accelerating the adoption of Agtech and education around it.
Changes to the program include a broader education offering, ensuring farmers feel equipped with the knowledge and expertise they need to get the most out of Agtech on their property.
“The changes to our Farms for the Future program are about helping more farmers understand and reap the enormous benefits of Agtech including increased productivity, better farm management and greater connectivity,” she said.
“Agtech provides more reliable and current information, helping farmers make better and quicker decisions that supports both productivity and sustainability.
“This transition to a broader state-wide program, will help farmers really embrace Agtech solutions and ensure they are supported every step of the way.”
Changes to the program, which has now been extended to 2028, include:
• Industry specific training courses which cover fundamentals right through to aspects of new technology.
• Demonstration Hubs, located in 10 DPIRD research stations across the state, will allow farmers to witness first hand how devices operate in real farm settings, observe the data collected, understand how farms use this data.
• Agtech Alley which is a designated space for Agtech suppliers at major field days to connect directly with farmers.
• Agtech Toolbox which is an extensive resource offering articles, case studies and how-to-videos.
Further information on The Farms of the Future Program is available at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/dpi/climate/farms-of-the-future.
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