GROUND BREAKER Precision Agriculture and Precision Ag Solutions will be presenting at the upcoming Queensland Crop Research Inaugural Field Day to be held at the new Yarramalong Research Centre, Qld.

Date: Thursday, 22nd February, 2018

Time: 8:00am - 12:30pm

Location: “Tosari”, 1149 Millmerran Leyburn Road, Yarramalong QLD

The inaugural field day will be held at the recently acquired, grower owned research farm. This property was purchased by a significant investment through the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC) and the Queensland Department of Agriculture (QDAF) to ensure that there is a research farm on the Darling Downs able to deliver Research Development and Extension (RD&E) to support increased grain grower profitability and, in doing so, grow Queensland’s primary industries’ contribution to the economy.

Growers are encouraged to visit and see first-hand their new asset and current research trials. These include a sorghum NVT, QDAF early generation germplasm and UQ-QAAFI research projects. Also on display will be sowing equipment, technology interfacing and application of drones for growers and their use in applied research and development work.

To download the day's schedule, please .

For more information on the Research Centre, please visit www.aginnovators.org.au/news/11m-new-queensland-grains-research-hub

RSVP: By Thursday, 15 February to timmylne@bigpond.net.au.

GROUND BREAKER Precision Agriculture, one of the fastest-growing precision planting manufacturers in Australia and Precision Ag Solutions, one of the leading Australian distributors of multi-brand precision hardware and software, announced today that they will merge.

This merger creates a group highly specialized in digital agriculture, whose combined resources and expertise offer clients state of the art machinery and equipment, leading edge technology and consultative services.

GROUND BREAKER Precision Agriculture and the manufacturing body, Toowoomba Engineering, have over 30 years experience in metal manufacturing and design. They manufacture a range of quality precision planters that are specifically designed for Australian growing regions and apply a patented tyne and disc structure with precision planting technologies as a world first.

Precision Ag Solutions was founded in 2015 with over 30 years combined industry experience in precision technology. Precision Ag Solutions offer the latest range of farming technologies to increase efficiency, productivity and profitability by offering a suite of precision hardware, software and data analysis tools for farmers.

Scott Farquharson, General Manager of GROUND BREAKER Precision Agriculture said “with this merger, our company enters into a new level of advancement in precision agriculture with a multitude of solutions now available for our clients. We are well known for our quality products and customer service, and together with Precision Ag Solutions, we share common values and goals.”

Precision Ag Solutions Managing Director, Danny Weier said “by merging these two companies we are able to expand our capabilities in the precision technology space. We also add over 20 years agronomic expertise to the team through shared human resources.”

“Both GROUND BREAKER and Precision Ag Solutions are leaders and experts in precision agriculture and together we will be able to offer our customers the best of both companies and expand our services globally.”

Mr Farquharson said “The customer service, quality and timeliness that our customers enjoy will remain the same, as will general operations. What will change is our ability to offer a greater range of products, services and solutions to improve outcomes for farmers.”

Toowoomba’s own GROUND BREAKER Precision Agriculture have been awarded the prestigious Piper Prize for Innovation, a $75,000 prize granted by the Council of Grain Grower Organisations Ltd (COGGO) for their unique precision tyne planting system.

After being awarded the Piper Award for Innovation in 2016, they have gone on to win the Piper Prize for Innovation to further assist the development and commercialisation of their planter that can benefit Western Australian Grain Growers.

GROUND BREAKER CEO, Mr Scott Farquharson said “the precision planting system was originally designed for planting summer grain crops in Queensland, however, the planter has been modified to solve the growing issues associated with planting Canola in Western Australia, the most popular rotational break crop.”

“The planter uses a patented tyne system rather than a traditional double disc opener that you see on most growers seeding bars and applies the world’s leading precision technology”, he said.

COGGO Chair, Mr Chris Wilkins said “Canola is the preferred and the most widely grown break crop in Western Australia, used for its’ disease and weed management properties under crop rotation.”

“Grain growers in Western Australia face high costs per hectare for hybrid canola seed, which increases the financial risk of growing canola. This high cost has reduced the uptake of the latest varieties of canola in the drier parts of the wheatbelt.”

“We awarded the prize to GROUND BREAKER Precision Agriculture so that they can further develop the planter to improve the efficiency of sowing grain crops, with the initial focus on canola, due to the high cost of hybrid seed.”

“We would expect the seeding rate and planting costs of Canola in WA to be significantly reduced, by as much as 50% using this technology. This could allow for a rapid uptake of the latest and best varieties of canola, while reducing the risk in the farming system”, he said.

Other advantage of using the GROUND BREAKER precision planting system is that the Canola seed is more evenly spaced giving each plant the opportunity to successfully establish and grow without competing with other seeds, increasing individual plant performance and survival.

In WA, GROUND BREAKER Precision Agriculture have partnered with Brad Jones from Bungalla Technologies to undertake farm scale trials at his Tammin property.

They aim to have the modified commercial planter ready for market release in 2018. COGGO awarded the Piper Prize for Innovation to promote and reward agribusiness innovators and entrepreneurs whose ideas have the potential to improve performance and accelerate growth within the WA Grains Industry.

For more information on the Piper Prize for Innovation, please visit www.coggo.net.au.

Read the article in the Toowoomba Chronicle HERE.

Read an article published in the November-December GroundCover Magazine on our GROUND BREAKER Precision Planters being used to chase subsoil moisture to get summer and winter crops established evenly.

Read the article here.

Toowoomba Engineering have scored a $240,000 grant as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s $20 million Made in Queensland program. State Development Minister, Dr Anthony Lynham, announced the grants while visiting Stahmann Farm Enterprises along with representatives from Toowoomba Engineering. Company Director and Agronomist Andrew Farquharson said “we will use the funding to purchase new technology and advanced manufacturing equipment to improve production in the workshop, including a state of the art robotic welder. This investment will allow us to create new jobs and further develop our precision agriculture division, Ground Breaker Precision Agriculture,” he said. Ground Breaker Precision Planters are specifically designed for the conditions of Australian growing regions and apply the world’s leading precision technology.

The planters bring our patented tyne technology together with the latest in global precision technology and innovative engineering design, into one superior planting system. This technology combines, for the first time, a tyne with precision planting technologies, providing farmers with control over applications in variable conditions such as soil type, moisture and nutrient levels. The Made in Queensland grant will enable Toowoomba Engineering to invest in expert advice and advanced manufacturing equipment, technology and training, create jobs and develop marketing strategies that will boost productivity to accelerate their product range to domestic and international markets. The Toowoomba Engineering team are exploring invitations to undertake trials in Kazakhstan with significant export potential, along with interest from Canada and the US. Read the Qld Government Media Statementhere.