Victorian farmers will benefit from a new round of grants to help them invest in Internet of Things (IoT) technology that will make farming easier and more accurate.
Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes today announced the opening of round two of the On-Farm IoT Trial, with farmers in Wellington Shire, City of Greater Shepparton, Buloke Shire, Loddon Shire and Moira Shire able to apply for up to $25,000 to test IoT technology on their farms, expanding the number of farmers who can take part in the Trial from round one.
IoT technology refers to physical devices with sensors that connect to each other and to the internet to share information. These include devices such as silo level monitors, livestock trackers and weather stations.
Technology selected by more than 90 farmers taking part in round one of the Trial includes soil moisture probes, livestock trackers, milk vat monitors, security cameras and surface level monitors for troughs and dams.
The Andrews Labor Government has also partnered with NNNCo to deliver a new long-range network (LoRaWAN) in the Trial regions to ensure farmers have the network coverage they need to get the most out of the technologies they invest in.
The new network means farmers taking part in the Trial can install devices on their farm and securely connect them to the internet, giving them access to the data they need to make more informed and precise decisions about their crops.
The On-Farm IoT Trial is just one part of the Labor Government’s ongoing investment in AgTech. The Victorian Budget 2020/21 provides $15 million towards making AgTech accessible to more farmers as part of a $65 million investment in a new agriculture strategy.
For more information and to apply, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/digitalag.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes
“Farmers taking part in Victoria’s On-Farm IoT Trial will pave the way for others in their industry to learn what technology works and what doesn’t when it’s tested in the practical setting of a farm.”
“Investing in digital agriculture is a priority for us, not only for its potential to make businesses more profitable and sustainable, but for its potential to attract more young people to work in agriculture.”
Reviewed 03 December 2020