Ag manufacturing the leader

That was the case with Farm Machinery & Industry Association (FMIA) executive officer John Henchy when he spoke to farmers about machinery needs for a CTF system.

“CTF is very popular in Australia but in terms of a market for overseas manufacturers, it is very small,” Mr Henchy said.

“And there is some evidence of warranties being voided by changes to machinery to fit CTF systems.

“But the message I would like to get out there is to talk to your local manufacturers because they have a lot of expertise.

“And this has been shown throughout history, dating right back to the stump-jump plough.

“Australian inventiveness has established a lot of world-leading products and I mention them to emphasise just how good this country is in building the best.

“We invented the stripper front, hydraulic tines, enhanced air seeders for broadacre production, established direct drill and no-till with boomsprayers, made tungsten-faced knife points, started GPS guidance, built the biggest self-propelled boomsprayers, airseeders and the biggest fronts for headers.

“The list goes on with extending header augers to match CTF systems along with conveyors for chaser bins, twin lines on sprayers, protein meters, development work of the Weed Seeker, liquid fertilisers and liquid kits and more recently the Harrington Weed Seed Destructor.

“It tells you we have the expertise in this country to develop machinery suitable for CTF systems and Australian manufacturers are doing just that.”

Mr Henchy also said a plethora of precision technology was also available to enhance CTF.

“But we need better wireless technology,” he said.

“It has got to be improved so this technology can be adopted more widely.

“We’ve also got to get precision ag into the education curriculum.

“At the moment it is not being taught teach so tell anybody who will listen that this also needs to change.”