Consider these precision ag technologies with value-added potential in 2025

Looking to the season ahead, farmers throughout Australia are focused on efficiency and getting the most value out of every purchase they make. The market for precision ag technologies in 2025 has tremendous potential to help farmers create value by doing more with less.

To assess the benefits these technologies can offer in terms of added efficiencies and cost savings, farmers should focus on expanding their capabilities – adding tools that enable them to do something they can’t today — and measurable return on investment. This will look different across every operation, and because of the volume of solutions available on the market, it’s important to work with an experienced, knowledgeable dealer, and other trusted advisors who understand the unique needs of each operation and can help determine the right mix of tools, technologies and equipment to maximise success.

Here are the tips and trends I recommend farmers explore in 2025 as they look to add value to their operation:

Retrofit solutions that save money and add value

Coming into the new year, many farmers are spending their budgets cautiously, weighing the return on investment (ROI) potential of every transaction. In this environment, big-ticket items that aren’t creating new value or delivering enhanced capabilities, like a new tractor, may not be prioritised. That doesn’t mean farmers have to forego the latest technologies or miss out on the benefits of new, profit-boosting functionality. For example, adding PTx Trimble guidance and steering to existing equipment delivers cutting-edge technology, without the price of a new machine. There are many other examples like this where farmers can get additional value and ROI benefits by taking a retrofit approach.

Work with an experienced dealer, who has knowledge and resources to unlock additional functionalities

Farmers are experts when it comes to managing their crops and getting value out of the land. Still, they are generalists who manage a lot of information about diverse topics: economics, weather, soil conditions, seed selection and nuanced chemical programs, labour management, etc. Many farmers simply aren’t aware of the breadth and depth of capabilities already available with existing equipment and precision ag tools. To build that understanding and capture more value from things they already have, farmers need a connection point to a robust dealer network. This ensures they have access to field experts after a sale and support to leverage precision ag tools to their maximum benefit.

Technology investments require an exploratory approach to optimise related variables

When farmers adopt a new technology, they may hesitate to adjust other variables in the hopes of running a controlled test, but with so many variables affecting success, it’s advantageous to focus on the future and explore options that might work better, making incremental adjustments as you go. For example, using green-on-brown and green-on-green spot spray systems, like PTx Trimble’s retrofit solution WeedSeeker® 2 and the Bilberry system, with the same chemical program and methods (such as rate, pressure and selection) as you would with a conventional sprayer may lead to overspending on crop inputs. If farmers invest in spot spray technologies, they can create additional cost savings by testing their chemical selections, gathering information on zone maps across the field and adjusting their chemical program accordingly.

Sustainable technology to proactively manage natural resources

Australia’s climate presents farmers with one of the harshest growing environments on the planet. PTx Trimble’s next-generation water solution, WM-FieldForm, provides a wide range of possibilities for controlling the movement of water onto, off and within fields. From simple topsoil leveling right through to complex multiplane landforming, grading, leveling and terracing projects, farmers who use the system can use available water more efficiently with improved sustainability practices and crop yield.

Whether these precision ag technologies are the right fit depends on several, farm-specific variables. Now is a great time for farmers to evaluate their goals, their bottom line and explore the benefits these new technologies can offer in terms of value creation.

Justin Van Viersen is a commercial director with PTx Trimble, a new venture established in 2024 to better serve farmers worldwide with industry-leading smart farming solutions. Based in Perth, Justin oversees operations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.