Claims that precision agriculture, data management and information technology will improve the profitability of broadacre farming are being put to the test by BCG.
Responding to farmer inquiry, and with support from the Telematics Trust, a public charitable organisation that promotes technology-based education and training in Victoria, and the Hugh D.T. Williamson Foundation, BCG is examining how new technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), harvester generated yield maps and precision agriculture (PA) might influence production and profitability outcomes on grain farms.
Last season new technologies such as UAVs fitted with infra-red cameras were employed to measure crop growth and compared against measurements taken via satellite and more traditional means such as dry matter cuts and hand-held GreenSeeking equipment.
The value of precision agriculture is also being examined in a commercial context with data from yield maps generated at harvest time being used to assess the performance of variable rate (VRT) input management across a paddock. The performance and profitability of the variable-rate treatments will be compared to that of a fixed rate treatment.
This research will determine the underlying drivers of variability within the paddock, and how well it is captured and managed by existing zones, and provide a practical demonstration of a VRT system in local conditions.
BCG’s technology-focused projects have the potential to deliver significant value to farmers with relevant and objective data on the costs and benefits of integrating new technologies into the farm business to be produced.
The research findings will be used to inform farmers about whether UAVs, variable rate technology and other precision agriculture practices might contribute to future adaption strategies and help them to evaluate risks involved with the practice.
A broader understanding of farm data management and interpretation are also expected to flow from the undertaking of this research.
Funding body: Telematics Trust and the Hugh D.T. Williamson Foundation
Project period: January 2016 – January 2017
Collaborators: Ultimate Positioning Group (UPG)
