The world of agriculture has seen some amazing developments since the turn of the century, which has transformed the sector. Of course, tech developments have improved all business sectors and in this article, we take a look at some of the innovations that the farming industry has seen since the turn of the century.
- Ploughing the land– The latest generation of disc chains have interchangeable weights, allowing the farmer to effectively plough hard or soft ground to the correct depth. Bute discs are definitely the best in the business and with online solutions, you can order directly from the supplier’s website.
- Drone technology– Drones are used in many ways by farmers; drones can a) spray crops, b) find lost livestock, c) inspect fencing and d) monitoring herds of livestock. Drone tech is ongoing and the latest generation of farming drones can fly longer and even have special night-vision cameras. Imagine a farm with miles of perimeter fencing, which has to be inspected on a regular basis, drones really do help with farm maintenance.
- Solar energy– Most farmers use laptops to control the irrigation of crops and they are typically powered by small solar panels located on the top of the station. Solar power can also be used for general purposes and the Australian government offer farmers generous financial incentives to switch from the national grid to clean and renewable energy. E-tractors are in the final stages of testing, and it won’t be long before we see e-tractors helping farmers all over Australia. If you manage a small farm and you would like to learn more about solar energy, start with a Google search to find government-approved solar panel suppliers that deal with commercial systems.
- Vertical farming– While this is relatively rare in Australia, it is used widely in countries where farming land is limited. As the name suggests, vertical farming is when layers of soil in trays are stacked on top of each other. Hydroponics allow for growing without soil and this technology is developing quickly. Click here to learn about the various types of scrap metal and how to sell it for a good price.
- Automated livestock feeding systems – Larger farms make good use of automated feeder systems whereby the food is stored in special containers and with a timer, a certain amount of food is released on a daily basis. If you would like to learn more about automated feeders, Google is your best friend and can locate established suppliers. The system is obviously tailored to suit the environment and it saves the farmer a lot of time and in farming, time is money.
The Australian government is committed to developing sustainable farming and this is an exciting time to be alive, as we move into a new dimension of digital connectivity. Less manpower is required, which means farmers can save money and the future is looking bright for farming around the world.