GRAIN CENTRAL | Cost a key barrier to autonomous farm tech uptake: survey

Affordability is the biggest concern grain producers have to adopting fully autonomous farm machinery, but this doesn't mean they're not interested in learning more.

Grain Central reported on the outcomes of an independent survey conducted as a part of a partnership between Grain Producers Australia, the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia and the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia.

The groups have worked together since 2019 to develop the Code of Practice for Agricultural Mobile Field Machinery with Autonomous Functions in Australia.

GPA RD&E spokesperson, Andrew Weidemann AM, said this report can be used to help guide industry bodies, machinery companies and governments in approaches to education, regulation and market rollout.

“Fully autonomous farm machinery is still in the early stages of adoption here in Australia compared to the rest of the world and this almost clean slate is a great opportunity for growers,” Mr Weidemann said.

“This technology has the chance to increase profitability, efficiency and farm safety with industry owning the process.

“It is to our benefit to take advantage of new technologies that can boost our global competitiveness in production and efficiency, but it is important that we as farmers have confidence in ourselves and the technology.”

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