Start small, start with someone else’s help, but just start – that was the message about new technology from speakers on a panel at AgQuip 2016 on Thursday.
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The field days’ major sponsor, Commonwealth Bank, held the AgTech panel, which was hosted by regional and agribusiness general manager Tim Harvey.
David Lamb, Anna Speer and Will Bignell were the three panellists who spoke to and took questions from invited guests at the bank’s marquee.
Professor Lamb is the University of New England’s SMART Farm project leader, a physicist with research interests in precision agriculture and applied optics.
His cutting-edge “props” for the day included a livestock monitoring tag that he uses to track the location of individual animals on a satellite map on his smartphone.
He also brought along a livestock virtual fencing collar – similar to a dog containment electric collar – but gave the caveat that there were animal ethics and behaviour issues to consider.
Ms Speer is director of the Future Farmers Network and the chief executive officer of AuctionsPlus.
She spoke about the service, which brings together buyers and sellers for online, real-time auctions of livestock, wine, farm machinery and even water rights.
Dr Bignell is the co-founder of DroneAg, and a seventh-generation farmer who, with his parents on the family farm, produces wool, poppies, lamb, venison and specialty root vegetables.
He spoke about his many interests – he has a PhD in molecular genetics, works as a consultant to the Atlantic salmon industry, has learnt to fly and has run a scenic gliding business.
After speaking and answering questions on different products and apps, the three gave their overall message.
Ms Speer said that - apart from registering on AuctionsPlus, of course - people should “get curious about the opportunities that are out there”.
Dr Lamb said to “get connected” – and made the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that people in even-numbered houses vote for one party, and those in odd-numbered houses vote for the other, to create “a marginal seat and get your blackspots fixed”.
Dr Bignell said he’d suggest people start simply, and get help.
“Pick low-hanging fruit and put together a plan of action for doing it. Bring in an enabler.”
He also spruiked the value of just following not passion but curiosity.
“Passions burn out and die – curiosity is a perpetual thing."
