A recent survey by market research firm Roy Morgan has found agricultural technology (AgTech) is used by majority of Australian farmers, with farm management software, eID tags and satellite technology the top three leading forms.
The survey found 89% of Australian farmers surveyed have used or would consider using AgTech and that John Deere, Gallagher and Elders were the top three brands.
The results showed 78% of farmers were currently using technology or had used it in the past; 72% actively used it in their businesses; and 6% had discontinued after trying it.
The Roy Morgan Farmer AgTech Survey results were based on over 1000 interviews conducted in April and May 2024. The participants included farmers from a range of sectors including beef, cropping, sheep (meat and wool), horticulture, dairy, and other farm types ranging from small farms to those over 25,000 hectares, and with annual revenues from under $100,000 to over $5 million.
The results found farm management software, eID tags and satellite technology were the most popular.
Leading forms of AgTech used by Australian farmers:
The leading form of AgTech for Australian farmers was farm management software, which includes a wide range of functions such as paddock mapping, animal genetics, feed inventory, water monitoring, and biosecurity planning.
In second place was electronic ID tags (eID tags), which enable individual animal identification via a microchip, typically placed in the animal’s ear and read using scanning devices.
Satellite technology ranked third, providing farmers with detailed real-time data on crop performance and soil variability.
Precision farming was the fourth most commonly used, where satellite data is used to guide precision ploughing, seeding, and fertilising for optimal productivity.
Drones came in fifth - performing tasks such as monitoring crop and horticultural health, assessing readiness for harvest, checking remote stock water troughs, and even mustering.
Remote sensors took out sixth place. The sensors collect a wide range of farm data from soil moisture levels to pasture issues—and can be easily controlled via smartphone.
Benefits of Agricultural Technology (AgTech) for farmers
The survey results concluded the top advantages were reduced wastage; an ability to diagnose issues remotely; reduced labour; better understanding of new opportunities and solutions; accurate record keeping; the ability to closely monitor large areas; improved livestock management; increased profitability and reduced input costs.
High cost and the lack of information are the main barriers to the adoption of AgTech for farmers
The main barriers to the adoption of AgTech for farmers were found to be the high cost and the lack of information. Two-thirds (66%) of farmers said the cost of purchasing technology was the primary obstacle to them adopting it—almost twice as much as any other reason.
A significant portion (37%), cited insufficient knowledge about AgTech and its capabilities, while 36% pointed to ‘poor connectivity’ to the Internet and telephone networks as a barrier.
Barriers to adoption of Agricultural Technology (AgTech) mentioned by Australian farmers
Source: Roy Morgan Farmer AgTech Survey April-May 2024.
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said Agricultural Technologies were transforming the farming experience like never before with the proliferation of new technologies driving time and cost savings for Australian farmers.
“Australian farmers are amongst the world’s most ‘tech savvy’ – 89% say they have already used, or would consider using, AgTech on their farms”, Ms Levine said.
“However, there are still barriers to adoption for many farmers that should be understood when considering how to drive greater uptake of these varying technologies, including among those farmers who have yet to take the step and adopt AgTech.
“The most commonly mentioned barrier – by 66% of farmers – is the ‘high cost’ surrounding many of these technologies. What is interesting to consider is that although ‘high cost’ is considered a barrier to adoption, cost savings are considered one of the main benefits for farmers who have taken the step and adopted AgTech.
Ms Levine said the barriers to adoption appear to be mainly rooted in a lack of understanding how AgTech could improve the farming experience for the respondents.
“When asked unprompted about which brands farmers associate most with Agricultural Technologies our survey of over 1,000 farmers mentioned John Deere in first place followed by Gallagher and Elders rounding out the top three” Ms Levine said.
You can view the Roy Morgan Farmer AgTech Survey 2024 Webinar presented by Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine here.