New centre aims to help boost tech uptake in grain industry
An innovative centre has been launched at a Victorian college in an effort to help boost crop production.
THE next generation of agriculture workers will help bring state-of-the-art technology on farm to boost crop production thanks to the launch of a new centre at a Victorian college.
DATA Farm Innovation Centre at Longerenong College opened last week to demonstrate and encourage farmers to “explore and adopt” the latest farming equipment and technologies.
The Innovation Centre will be open to the industry, and is part of the $2.5 million AgTide Demonstration of Agriculture Technology Applications Farm Project.
Students will learn to use technology and collect, monitor and analyse data such as rainfall, temperature, humidity, frost, soil moisture, solar and UV radiation and leaf wetness, as well as drones, satellites, topsoil mappers, airseeders, harvesters and self-propelled boom sprayers.
Monitoring trough and tank levels, machinery roll-over and hay storage and fence and gate monitoring will also be explored.
“New digital technology has been added to our existing 1070ha farm with over 250 devices and 500 sensors collecting more than 30,000 data points each day,” DATA Farm project manager Bryan Matuschka said.
“The Innovation Centre will serve as the information hub and a learning space where the technology and data can be integrated into the agriculture courses here at Longy.”
He said the centre allowed farmers to look at digital initiatives and projects and digital devices, before spending the money to fit them on farm.
“It allows farmers to touch, feel and smell agriculture devices then assess them to see if it fits (their farm),” Mr Matuschka said.
“Devices save time, remotely measure things and increase farm security if a grower lives off farm.”
And Mr Matuschka said young people were well equipped to adapt this technology to farms, by becoming farm managers and advisers.
“Devices are second nature to young people, so they can take that to industry,” he said.
Data is still rolling out on farm, Mr Matuschka said, with the demo farm fully opening in the new year.
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