In this episode of Talking AgTech, host Peter Birch sits down with Danielle Morton, CEO and founder of Zondii, a company creating technology solutions for the wool farming industry. Join them as they explore the challenges faced by wool farmers, the importance of real-time data in making informed breeding decisions, and how Zondii's innovative AI and smartphone technology is revolutionising wool farming.

Discussion Points:

1. The Need for Technological Evolution in Wool Farming

- Explore the current methods used by farmers to determine wool micron and the limitations they face.

- Discuss the potential benefits of modernising wool farming for better, more sustainable yields.

2. Real-Time Data for Informed Breeding Decisions

- Highlight the role of real-time data in helping farmers make informed breeding decisions to improve flock productivity.

- Discuss how Zondii's technology provides instant micron testing on farm, enabling farmers to quickly determine wool quality.

3. Impact on Profitability and Sustainability

- Explore how access to real-time data on wool quality can significantly impact culling decisions and improve the profitability and livelihood of wool growers.

- Discuss the broader implications for sustainability in the wool farming industry.

4. Zondii's Solutions and Farmer Reception

- Learn about Zondii's handheld device and smartphone options that allow farmers to easily and efficiently determine wool quality.

- Discuss the positive reception and adoption of Zondii's solutions within the farming community.

5. Future Applications of Zondii's Technology

- Explore the potential for Zondii's technology to be applied in other areas of agriculture, such as the mohair industry.

- Discuss future plans for expanding Zondii's technology and the impact it could have on the broader agricultural industry.

Join Peter Birch and Danielle Morton as they delve into the exciting world of AgTech in wool farming. Learn how Zondii's technology is transforming the industry, empowering farmers with real-time data for better breeding decisions and driving profitability and sustainability.

Introducing Justin Webb

Justin Webb is co-founder and chairman of AgriWebb, a farm management software used by farmers worldwide.

With over a quarter of commercial livestock raised on AgriWebb in Australia, they are empowering farmers to make data-driven decisions to improve their livelihood and the sustainability of their land.

Overview

In this episode of Talking AgTech, we explore the importance of sustainable food production and the role technology plays in achieving this goal. Hear from Justin Webb, co-founder of AgriWebb, who shares how digital tools can empower producers to make data-driven decisions, leading to tangible benefits for their livestock and arable farming.

Hear the need for farmers to go beyond just meeting requirements and incentivise sustainable practices in food production. Also learn about the challenges of succession planning and attracting new generations to join the industry.

Join us as we dive into the future of sustainable food production and the role agtech plays in this global issue.

Meet Sam Duncan:

• Sam Duncan is the CEO and founder of Farm Lab, a company that helps farmers and their consultants reduce the cost of environmental projects by giving them a platform to manage and measure soil, biodiversity, nutrients, and other factors that play a role in farming and agriculture.

Discussion Points:

• The role of carbon in soil
• The impact of emissions on the agriculture industry
• The importance of sustainability in agriculture
• The challenges of implementing new technologies in agriculture
• The benefits of using technology to manage soil carbon and emissions
• The potential for carbon markets to incentivise sustainable farming practices
• The role of Farm Lab in helping farmers manage their environmental impact
• The potential for technology to drive innovation in the agriculture industry

Key Learnings:

• Soil carbon is an important component of healthy soil and can help to reduce emissions from agriculture
• Emissions from agriculture are a significant contributor to climate change
• Sustainability is essential for the long-term viability of the agriculture industry
• Technology can help farmers to manage soil carbon and emissions more effectively
• Carbon markets can incentivise sustainable farming practices
• Farm Lab offers a software platform to help farmers manage their environmental impact

Resources/Links:

• Farm Lab: https://www.farmlab.com/
• Soil Carbon Coalition: https://www.soilcarboncoalition.org/
• Talking AgTech: https://www.talkingagtech.com

In this episode, Pete speaks with Oli Madgett - he became a grower in McLaren Vale in 2015, and leads Perennial in Australia, working with the MLA and AgriFutures to scale soil carbon quantification and decarbonise agrifood supply chains. 

Oli also runs the Adelaide AgriTech Meetup, which brings together a community of more than 1,500 developers, farmers and entrepreneurs interested in the agricultural technology space. 

Topics covered:

• Why we need diverse collaborations to make significant steps forwards in agriculture
• What agriculture can learn from open source communities like Open Street Maps
• How can technology assist agriculture working towards carbon neutrality
• Loads more

Resources & Links:

• https://github.com/CollabricultureOrg/
• perennial.earth
• https://www.mla.com.au/research-and-development/Environment-sustainability/carbon-neutral-2030-rd/delivering-cn30/
• https://www.meetup.com/SA-Agritech-Meetup

The Talking AgTech podcast launches in October 2022 - follow us on your favourite podcast player so you don't miss an episode.

AgTech, also known as Agricultural Technology or Agrotechnology, is the application of technology to agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture to help increase yield, efficiency, and profitability. 

AgTech can refer to products, services, or applications derived from agriculture and improve different input/output processes.

AgTech adoption and development are critical to Australia's agricultural supply chain's profitability and responsiveness.

Primary producers are some of the most efficient on the globe and have a long history of innovating to feed, clothe, and protect the growing population. For agriculture to be competitive and productive, it must adopt transformational strategies to keep up with the changing economic, natural, and social environment.

AgTech is a global opportunity and is expected to be worth up to US$189 billion between 2013-2022. The National Farmers Federation predicts that this figure will almost double the sector's value by 2030. 

 So it begs the question: What will drive growth within Australia's agriculture industry?

The global food demand is expected to rise by 60% by 2060, with a rising middle class, especially in the Asia Pacific, moving from a simple diet to one that's much higher in the kind of agriculturally-intensive foods in which Australia specialises. 

The domestic market is also growing in demand for locally-grown, sustainable food. Australia is a well-known brand with strong trade relations with these emerging markets. It presents an excellent opportunity to create technologies that will make a difference in the economy's bottom line and help rural Australia reap the economic benefits from the digital technology revolution.

These changing demands are being met by the challenge of decreasing natural resources and rising costs of energy, labour, fertiliser, seeds, and herbicide costs.  

These shifting demands and increasing challenges present an opportunity for Agtech adoption and growth.

Society is at a point where technology adoption in agriculture is not just a nice to have, it’s a necessity.  It is not possible to double the amount of farmland; Australia's landmass is already utilised for agriculture in just half of it, with much of the remainder being inhospitable or barren. The predicted 85% of sector growth would require increased yields and higher cropping intensity. This kind of production growth is impossible without technology.

AgTech is a potential leading source in technological manufacturing, exporting high-tech products to a global market hungry for innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for food. Australia's high-tech exports grew by 44.3%, which equates to USD 1.44 billion between 2009 and 2014. The percentage of high-tech exports as a whole rose from 11.9% up to 13.6% during the same time.

AgTech can play a crucial role in reducing Australia's food waste by ensuring fresh produce is available. We currently waste four million tonnes, or $8 billion of produce, each year. AgTech can reduce the impact of herbicides on farms and waterways by allowing Farmers to work out the best ways to take a regenerative approach. The Australian agricultural industry is stung with around $1.5 billion per year using industrialised methods. Weeds also account for $2.5 Billion in lost production.

Artificial Intelligence refers to various technologies that enable machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This...