Agtech events and courses: what's on, and how to choose
Agtech training is everywhere right now - field days, free demo days, online modules, hands-on courses. Knowing which one's worth your time is the hard part. Here's how they stack up, and where to start.
A simple way to think about it: some of these are for seeing what's out there, and some are for building a skill you can use on your own property. Below is a rundown of what's on, grouped this way, so you can figure out what fits where you're at right now.
It's worth noting agtech training isn't limited to what's below, there are other providers and programs out there too. This roundup focuses on the NSW DPIRD and Tocal offerings because they're widely available across southern and central NSW, and fee-free (or fee-free for eligible participants, in Tocal's case).
See it in action
These are the low-commitment, no-cost ways to get a look at what agtech can actually do - good starting points if you're still working out whether something's worth pursuing.
Agtech Alley
A dedicated space at the major field days where suppliers exhibit their latest products and services. It's a chance to see a wide range of gear side by side, compare options, and talk directly to the people behind the products, as well as pick up on broader industry trends and discussions. Look out for DPIRD’s Agtech Alley at the upcoming Henty & Australian National Field Days. 🔗More details here.
Agtech in Focus & Discovery Days
Free, interactive events hosted by NSW DPIRD on working research farms. With rising costs and ongoing labour challenges, more farmers are looking to technology to manage resources more effectively - these days let you see virtual fencing, automated irrigation, farm security and pasture management systems in a real working environment, not just a trade stand. Upcoming events at Trangie (23 Sept) | Orange (5 Oct) | Yanco and Dareton (8 Oct). 🔗Dates and details here.
Build the skill
Once you're ready to go from watching to doing, these four are where you build a skill using your own farm and your own data - two from DPIRD, two from Tocal.
Agtech Academy
A free, self-paced online learning hub from DPIRD. Short modules are built around real on-farm challenges and decisions, helping you identify what you actually need, what to consider before investing, and work through real examples from other farmers using agtech on their own properties. 🔗More details here.
Agtech Fundamentals
A practical workshop that helps you assess your own farm's needs and plan for agtech and connectivity solutions. You'll learn the right questions to ask suppliers, how to avoid spending money on tech that doesn't fit your operation, and work through a Monitoring Plan that maps your infrastructure, identifies priority areas, and helps you understand what information would be useful to collect - coming away with a clear next step for your own property. 🔗More details here.
Drones in Agriculture
A full hands-on day covering pre-start checks, flight drills, refuelling and data retrieval, plus the legal requirements for operating a drone on your own property. You'll come away able to safely fly and maintain a drone, and use the footage and data to inform your own fertiliser, sowing or water/weed management decisions. Nationally accredited, run statewide, with multiple intakes. 🔗Dates and details here.
Farm Mapping and Data Collection
The natural next step after learning to fly. This course takes the imagery you've collected and turns it into high-resolution maps of your own land - crop maps, elevation models, spray and variable-rate application plans. A blend on online and one day hands-on: collecting and processing data, then ground-truthing the results out in the paddock. Prior drone flight experience (or completion of the Drones in Agriculture course) is required. 🔗Dates and details here.
Where to start
If you're not sure yet whether agtech is worth the investment for your operation, start with a Discovery Day or Agtech Alley - no cost, no commitment, just a good look at what's possible. Once you're ready to work out what fits your own farm, Agtech Academy and Agtech Fundamentals are the places to start, and the Tocal courses are where you build the hands-on skill to put it into practice.