The Nationals in Government have rolled out a high-tech tool to deal with an age-old problem on the land.
The ‘Farm Tracker’ app is recruiting farmers to collect and report on-farm weather data in order to improve the state’s overall drought monitoring.
NSW Nationals Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair said the app would enable primary producers to easily record conditions on their property and help provide valuable information for drought-reporting purposes.
“By completing a simple crop, pasture or livestock survey using the app, farmers can collect and store data for their business within a matter of minutes,” Mr Blair said. “This enables farmers to keep and manage a photo diary of their farm and monitor the same paddock over many years in a centralised and easy-to-use format. The data will also feed into a state-wide database, creating an invaluable source of information to verify the state’s seasonal reporting.”
Member for Dubbo Troy Grant said with much of NSW affected by drought and with more hot and dry conditions expected over the coming months, primary producers needed access to the most detailed information available.
“Now, more than ever, producers in the region are looking to seasonal reporting to inform their decision-making and who better to test the integrity of these reports than farmers themselves,” Mr Grant said. “This is an effective data collection tool, with clear benefits for farm businesses as well as for informing Government’s response to changing seasonal conditions.”
NSW Nationals Candidate for Dubbo Dugald Saunders said the app would also be used to better understand on-farm water supplies.
“The app will allow the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to establish a dam monitoring network, giving us a better understanding of water storages right across the state,” Mr Saunders said. “The app is another example of the Nationals in Government producing a simple yet effective tool with benefits for farmers, and I strongly encourage all primary producers across the state to download it today.”
Primary Producers can download the app by searching ‘NSWDPI Farm Tracker’. For more information visit the Department of Primary Industries website.
