e-farming in Australia

Farming is set to become more economical in the next two to six years with the introduction of CSIRO-developed farm sensors.

These sensors are solar-powered and are the size of a mobile phone battery. The device is designed to be attached to farm stock via a collar.

This product will be capable of producing reliable information regarding stock location utilising GPS navigation.

Motion detectors will reveal the animals activity and collect and transmit data on temperature, sunlight, plant characteristics and soil moisture.

Additionally, soil sensors will teach animals to obey electronic sound cues thereby creating virtual fences and effectively managing animals between paddocks.

Further, other detectors will monitor the animals' health or weight - alerting farmers to whether animals are ready for market.

The idea is that farmers choose what they are trying to achieve on a bit of land, or with a particular animal and tailor the sensors according to that criteria.

In providing reliable information regarding the smarter use of land and stock, these farm sensors promise to boost the profitability of farming.

Given the products lengthy time to market, this research is not adequate to help those trying to decide whether to accept federal grants to leave the land.

For those that remain, however, it will become considerably easier to make the farming profession more economically efficient.