Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) held an Agricultural Technology Expo on July 16, at the warm and inviting Charlton Park complex.
The purpose of the event was to bring together leading growers, advisers, researchers and innovators for a hands-on exploration of the tools shaping the future of farming.
It was a well-attended event, with approximately 150 farmers from all over the country taking the opportunity to see some of the new agricultural technology in action and to see how it might benefit their own farming enterprise.
As with many emerging technologies, it can sometimes be daunting trying out something new, and a myriad questions accompany any decision to adopt different practices on farm. Particularly the farmers themselves are often found to be “set in their ways” and reluctant to try anything that challenges the routine which has worked for them through many seasons.
That is why BCG organised leading experts in fields of sensor technology, weed management and automation support, including interactive panels with leading tech-savvy growers to answer any questions that arose on the day. Peer-to-peer learning was a key focus of the day, as discussion between farmers turns knowledge into practical insight – BCG organised for a farmer to be part of each session to ensure they remained relevant to what really happens in the paddock.
200 more seasons
Hamish Munro, fifth-generation farmer from Orange, NSW and co-founder of Pairtree Intelligence, shone a light on the rapid technological developments of the agriculture industry over time. His message to farmers was clear: “The data we collect today will be the data that we use to train AI models and algorithms that will help us make decisions on farm in the future. It’s important that we prioritise collecting and storing high-quality data, to create a legacy for our farm that we can pass on to the next generation.”
Sensor technology
Andrew Minnikin and Brendan Nolan from Sydney-based sensor technology provider INCYT presented a range of technology to growers on the day, featuring soil moisture probes, asset tracking devices, weather stations and more. The INCYT team were joined by Banyena farmer Frank Burchell, who uses INCYT sensors on his property to make decisions based on the stored soil moisture across his farm.
Weed management
Professor Michael Walsh, of Charles Sturt University, expert in novel weed management technologies, facilitated a panel of representatives from different sectors of the weed control industry: Bailey Kilpatrick (SwarmFarm Robotics), Shane Kable (Single Agriculture), and Jono Robinson (farm manager of Warakirri Cropping’s Baingarra site and 8-year user of the Weed-IT system). The panel discussed the different technologies available and received lots of questions from growers about the practical uses of these technologies on farm and future developments to expect.
Grain automate
Grain Automate is a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) initiative on behalf of Australian grain growers aimed at accelerating the adoption of machine automation, autonomy and digital technologies in the Australian grains industry. Facilitated by the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia (SPAA), Edward Scott discussed the different types of automation on farm, how growers can assess where they are along the journey to full automation, and some tips and tricks for ensuring the technology they already have on-farm is performing the best it can for their operation. Ed was joined by Jordan Lee (Verge Ag) who demonstrated boundary mapping technology that is compatible across all brands of machinery. Key messages from Ed’s session included gathering a team of people to help with the technology, identifying quick wins to add value with lower effort, and the value of putting time and effort into creating a “master digital farm” that is exactly the same as the real farm. “Get support in the right areas on the journey. You don’t have to do it all,” he said.
Economics of automation
Roger Lawes (CSIRO) presented his work to date to create a calculator for farmers to use, that will enable them to understand the costs associated with implementing automation within their farm businesses. “What is right for your neighbour, may not be right for you. Understanding economics of automation is essential,” he said.
Technical exhibitors
Technology providers Weed-IT Australia, Pairtree Intelligence, O’Connors, Single Agriculture, SwarmFarm Robotics, SPAA, Verge Ag and MagrowTec showcased their products on the day. Farmers and advisers in attendance had the opportunity to create connections with the providers and learn more about their solution’s fit into broadacre farming systems.
The entire event was very well received, not only as an exhibition of the latest advances in precision agriculture, but also a marvellous networking opportunity for farmers and other agronomy firms to get together and discuss these latest advancements.
Following a delicious catered lunch, the audience heard from a panel of four, discussing the pros and cons of different on-farm technologies and the value they add to growers. A highlight of the panel was fifth-generation Donald farmer Kyle Pearse sharing his experience with his automated SwarmBot sprayer, which certainly has its benefits in certain conditions on the farm – it also doesn’t mind working overtime, is never hung over and doesn’t complain about the early starts. Besides coming on board as an extra staff member, Kyle likes that the spot-spraying technology in the unit only targets the weeds in the paddock and putting chemical where it is needed, as opposed to a blanket spray. Kyle has previously described his business as “typically very slow to adopt new technology” but saw the SwarmBot as a “game changer”. His advice for other farmers? “Don’t be scared by the process.”
Western Australian farmer Brett Whealan joined Kyle on that panel and also shared his advice for farmers looking to implement technology on their own farms: “The issues that slow things down is the value proposition. Get the data and economics on whether it’s going to be of value on your farm or not,” he said.
ChatBCG
Closing the day was a major announcement from event organiser Jess Bidstrup. Using data and research collected by Birchip Cropping Group over its 33 years of operation, Jess’s brainchild ChatBCG was officially launched. With the same idea as ChatGPT, ChatBCG is an interactive AI platform that can answer questions related to Wimmera-Mallee farming systems using BCG’s database as its reference (or brain, if you prefer to imagine it that way). Just like chatting with a human, you could ask questions like: “What should I spray to target fleabane in crop?” or “How much nitrogen should I apply to my wheat for a decile 2 finish in Charlton?” and get answers grounded in BCG data.
The concept itself is quite mind-blowing, providing a user-friendly agricultural resource which is locally-specific to the Wimmera-Mallee region. More on this on another page of today’s edition of the “Times.”
Birchip Cropping Group and the organisers of this event should be commended in facilitating a relaxed and engaging exhibition of the latest technologies for local farmers in the region.
BCG continues to have a positive impact in the advances of agriculture and the Wimmera-Mallee farming community. If you haven’t already, check out the website https://www.bcg.org.au/
See all the photos in the issue.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 25 July 2025.
