Fieldays showcases the tech changing farming

Friday, 16 June 2017, 3:07 pm
Press Release: ANZ Bank

Fieldays showcases the tech changing farming

A technology tsunami is set to change the way New Zealand agricultural producers do business according to ANZ’s Rural Economist Con Williams.

At Fieldays this week to talk about his latest Agri Focus research into the digital tsunami hitting the primary industries, Mr Williams said the number of apps and innovations designed to help improve agricultural businesses has exploded in recent years.

“A technology tsunami is upon the primary sectors. From meeting consumer demands around how food is produced to adapting to changing regulatory requirements, technology is poised to play a much bigger role in farm management,” Mr Williams said.

“Farmers and growers need to embrace the changes new technology brings as they are all aimed at increasing the bottom line, and perhaps just as importantly, making it easier to do business.”

Speaking to visitors in the ANZ Pavilion, Mr Williams outlined his research and urged people to try some of the technologies available.

“Adopting a new piece of technology into a business can sometimes involve a leap of faith for the non-tech savvy. But this can be eased by doing some research into the various apps on offer, and many of them offer a free trial to test them out.”

Fieldays visitors wanting to get a feel for some of the latest technology can see plenty in the Innovation Pavilion with everything from health and safety apps, farm management, finance and compliance through to robotic fruit pickers and drone technology on show.

“With the rate of change only set to expand over coming years, mastering the use of technology within a business will be a key part of success in the future.”

Mr Williams said producers should expect more change around traceability, food quality, animal welfare and environmental issues driven by both consumer demands and local regulations.

“I think New Zealand industries want to do the right thing, and most farmers are keen to adapt farm practices and invest where they can to address societal and consumer concerns. Technology plays a critical part in helping them do that,” Mr Williams said.

ENDS

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