California Looks to Australia for Agtech Ideas
California agriculture is looking halfway around the world at how another major agricultural region is approaching innovation and ag technology.
In a recent “Planting Seeds” blog, California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross shared some takeaways from a California Trade and Climate Policy Mission to Australia, including similarities she saw between California and Queensland.
Queensland is Australia’s largest agricultural state and is leaning into agtech to improve productivity and outcomes for producers.
One example Ross highlighted is Queensland’s Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation Fund, a 30-million Australian dollar investment fund supporting commercially focused agricultural innovation. Ross noted it is something California could explore as well.
The Queensland portion of the trip also included a look at technology already being put to work. At Barden Farms, that ranged from electric weeders to automated farm transport, along with conversations about the challenges of making automation work across different soils and climates.
For Ross, the bigger takeaway is the potential for California and Australia to continue collaborating on agricultural innovation.
