Driving ag-tech adoption across Australia (AS20007)

The Gatton Smart Farm (AS20007 Driving Ag-Tech adoption across Australia) project team delivered a range of activities and outputs in this milestone period across the field AgTech, postharvest and protected cropping themes. RD&E highlights include:

• Advanced weather network—the weather network has been renamed AgWeather to coincide with the release of an iOS app on the Apple App Store. The app provides similar functionality to the web-based dashboard (including forecasts) and is currently being tested by end-users.
• FarmDroid Return On Investment (ROI) and case study with Qualipac Produce—the Field AgTech team are working with Qualipac and an Agricultural Economist to complete an ROI assessment for the FarmDroid autonomous seeder and weeder.  A second case study of FarmDroid in an organic vegetable production system has also commenced. 
• Gatton Smart Farm field AgTech site—a permanent field location at the Gatton Smart Farm has been secured as an AgTech demonstration site for technologies like soil moisture sensors, crop sensing imagery, UAVs and field robotics, and ground preparation for the first crop plantings has commenced. The interactive site will be used for field walks and other industry events to demonstrate the potential for integrating AgTech into field production to optimise vegetable yield and quality. This will support any further technology EOIs.
• Postharvest quality of cold stored celery for export markets—the postharvest team have shared the results of the celery export simulation trial with Moffatt Fresh Produce and worked with their supply chain manager to determine the next steps. The team will monitor the performance of the next celery export shipment and engage overseas assessors to conduct in-market quality and shelf life assessments. 
• Video: Specialty melons, a protected cropping opportunity for the tropics—growing specialty melons under protected cropping was highlighted in a new video listed in Queensland Agriculture YouTube channel. Working closely with industry, the protected cropping team has been at the forefront of developing melon production systems using protected cropping. Specialty melons, a protected cropping opportunity for the tropics, provides an overview of the benefits and opportunities for using protected copping in Australia’s warm environments.
• Allegro Farms: Tomato crop quality—the protected cropping and postharvest teams have commenced work with Allegro Farms to monitor the growth, productivity and quality of snacking tomato in a hi-tech glasshouse. The trial will help the business and researchers to understand the production system and its competitive advantage as an agile, hi-tech facility with short value chains into city markets, with benefits for the protected cropping industry nationally.

Other project extension and communication activities include feature articles in the Australian Grower magazine (Future of ag tech on display) and Soilless Australia magazine (It’s time to do a bucket test!), and the delivery of AgTech RD&E displays at the Lockyer Valley Growers Expo and Hort Connections 2024 in Melbourne. The Gatton Smart Farm AgTech showcase team won the Visy Industry Impact Award at the Horticulture Awards for Excellence 2024 at Hort Connections for delivering a ground-breaking showcase of ag technology and setting a new standard for AgTech field days in Australia.

Over the past six months, the following activities have been achieved:

• In September 2022, the Greenhouse Technical Management Course was held, which was a specialised short course in greenhouse technical management. Fifteen growers and six industry/government protected cropping representatives attended and it was held at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Gatton Research Facility.
• From October to November 2022, the Gatton Smart Farm team worked with growers in Bundaberg to hold a GUSS (Global Unmanned Sprayed System) automated sprayer tour in Bundaberg and Bowen. It attracted roughly 55 growers, agronomists, and other industry representatives.
• In November 2022, a fresh produce Cold Chain workshop was held for 35 people in person and 21 online at the Gatton Research Facility. The workshop was held to boost awareness of the challenges and opportunities within the supply chain, and the critical impact of temperature on management of quality and shelf life of fresh produce. Access the presentations and Q&A sessions here. 
• The Advanced Weather Network has been updated, with hourly temperature and daily mean precipitation now available here.

Over the past six months, the project team has progressed with several initiatives despite the impacts from flooding events across the eastern seaboard reducing the ability for project staff to engage with growers directly on-farm. Some key achievements include:

• Assessing packaging options for seafreight for exported carrots
• Grower training in protected cropping of specialty melons
• Development of protected cropping training for delivery
• Assessment of shelf-life and quality issues in baby leaf spinach
• Development and rollout of grower and AgTech ‘Expression of Interest’ process
• Development of cold chain/logistics training for fresh produce for delivery in 2023
• Validation of autonomous platforms in Bundaberg.

The grower and AgTech ‘Expression of Interest’ process was launched late April via the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Smart Farms’ Engagement Hub (engagementhub.com.au). To date, the portal has received 44 applications from a wide range of technology providers and horticultural businesses. Project reference groups will be convened during the next reporting period to assist in the assessment of the EOIs and to develop roll-out strategies for facilities and commercial farms.