FNQ Field Days 2025 focusses on agriculture tech and innovation
A hybrid species of coffee which could yield quicker returns and slow down the rapid price increases consumers are paying was one of many displays of innovation in agriculture.
Cairns
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A hybrid species of coffee which could yield quicker returns and slow down the rapid price increases consumers are paying was one of many displays of innovation in agriculture at the Rotary FNQ Field Days this week.
With the Queensland government adopting a target of boosting the state’s agriculture output to $30bn by 2030, the policy changes required to increase production could not be understated by grower advocacy groups.
But for the region’s farmers, the three-day event at the Mareeba Rodeo Grounds from Wednesday to Friday, which drew about 15,000 people, was an opportunity to peruse more than 500 exhibitors showing their latest agricultural products and advances in technology.
That included the use of drones – capable of storing up to 40 litres of liquid for precision aerial spraying of crops – reducing chemical run-off and hours of diesel being burned in comparison to traditional methods.
Farmers were told how the drones would not only help them save costs, but help contribute towards their climate and reef targets – which helped them achieve and maintain contracts with the retailers of their produce.
The use of drones is also being trialled in mustering cattle, where, following a ban on quad bikes, graziers were forced to outlay significant capital on more expensive ATVs.
Other technologies included the use of AI in surveillance for farmers to monitor their land and changes to their soil, as well as automatically grade and sort produce in horticulture packing sheds.
With the Tablelands producing about 85 per cent of Australia’s coffee production, Griffith University’s Dr Fawad Ali was displaying hybrid coffee plants in trial, which if successful could boost the rate of return from each plant and address global bean supply issues.
FNQ Field Days chairman Andrew McCosh said the Rotary event with a 40-year history was the largest it had ever been in the north, with new additions to this year’s line-up including on-farm tours.
“Because the theme was innovation and tech, we had farms that were at the forefront of this so farmers could go out and see it for themselves, not just hear about it,” he said.
“But traditionally this event has always been a fundraiser for Rotary so they can continue supporting the community.
“And an opportunity for farmers to see the latest products, and also meet the bosses of the big machinery and tractor companies in person and snag a deal.
“For those companies, the field days is also their sort of ‘launch day’. So whatever new products or technology they’re bringing out, this is where they’ll display it.”
Mr McCosh said the biennial event benefited communities beyond Mareeba, with most accommodation providers across the Tablelands region booked out, leading to exhibitors booking and commuting from Cairns daily.
Originally published as FNQ Field Days 2025 focusses on agriculture tech and innovation
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