Part 1 Curiosity to Commitment - Farmers navigating ag tech adoption

Part 1 Curiosity to Commitment - Farmers navigating ag tech adoption

From MSF Farm Talk Podcast by Mallee Sustainable Farming

August 14, 2025 · 20 min · Season 6 · Episode 28

About this episode

Farmers discuss their experiences and challenges in adopting agricultural technology.

Join host Chris McDonough straight from the Grain Automate Expo in Loxton as he catches up with 3 growers and a machinery reps about how farmers are tackling the big leap into ag tech. 🎧 Stick with us—there’s about 30 seconds of background noise at the start as we resolve some mic issues, but the audio improves quickly! In this episode, Chris chats indoors with: Mick Caughey, WA grower managing 5,000ha with VRT & trial strips Bryson Rudiger, Mallee farmer about his gradual shift into adopting new technologies. David Daniel, a Pinnaroo grower who shares his thoughts on the learning curve of tech  Damien Fielke, machinery expert and rep, providing insights into the gear that’s getting attention. Together, they explore what it takes for farmers to move from curiosity to full commitment when adopting agricultural technology. 📌 Part 2 will take you out into the paddock for a deep dive into autonomous machinery, featuring SwarmFarm and thoughts from a local grower. 🙌 The Grain Automate event was supported by the GRDC and SPAA, giving growers the chance to see new tech up close, ask questions, and think critically about what fits their farming business…

People in this episode

Host: Chris McDonough

Guests: Mick Caughey, Bryson Rudiger, David Daniel, Damien Fielke

Topics covered

  • agriculture
  • technology adoption
  • farming
  • innovation
  • machinery

Keywords

  • ag tech
  • farmers
  • technology adoption
  • machinery
  • Grain Automate Expo

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: GRDC, SPAA

Places: Loxton

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