Automation lure for new farmers

ADVANCES in technology such as automation and drones have reduced the number of workers in agriculture but are also attracting the farmers of the future, Ruralco chairman Rick Lee says.

As Australian agriculture moves away from intensive farm labour, the rise of technology-driven work is prompting demand for new skills in a trend Mr Lee expects to bring new blood to the industry.

He also says the attractive outlook for agriculture — helped by low prices for water, livestock and wool the past year — is another drawcard for the younger generation.

“In the 1960s and 1970s, the last thing the child of a grazier wanted to do is go back into farming because of the experience they had, and what they had seen their parents go through,” Mr Lee said after the company’s annual meeting.

“But what you are getting now is that people are seeing the actual opportunities are actually quite attractive and also seeing they have skills that they can apply.”

Mr Lee told shareholders new opportunities for food exports to Asia — driven by the growing popularity of Western diets — offered huge potential growth for Australian agriculture.

Ruralco, a major supplier of products and services to rural industries, was well placed to benefit from that growth and was pursuing technological innovations to enhance its offerings to the industry, he said.