As part of its $760 million R&D portfolio, Hort Innovation has invested more than $220 million in productivity boosting projects, from automation, AI and on-farm management to data collection, and business analysis - all to support Australian growers.
Part of the productivity push involves new technology that has the potential for one grower to operate multiple tractors at once, slashing the labour input costs.
This technology will enable around-the-clock operation with minimal human intervention. With this innovative solution, a single operator can remotely manage and optimise a fleet of tractors from any device - including mobile, desktop or tablet
The research promises revolutionary change in Australia's almond, macadamia, and pistachio industries and beyond.
Partnering with United States ag-tech leader, Bluewhite, the project will bring cutting-edge technology that retrofits existing tractors, converting them into fully autonomous machines, to the Australian horticulture sector.
Leveraging advanced AI technology, this multi-year project will seek to accelerate the adoption of precision autonomy in Australia's nut industry and automate labour-intensive farming operations. Overall, it will aim to boost productivity and reduce reliance on manual labour across the sector. With the potential to scale to other industries in the long term, this technology could help to boost productivity across the entire horticulture industry.
Brett Fifield, CEO of Hort Innovation, explained that this project will offer a scalable, long-term solution to recurring challenges Australian nut growers are facing.
"Nut production and harvest are labour-intensive, and the sector relies heavily on seasonal workers, particularly backpackers and holidaymakers to meet demands. However, since the changes to labour programs and ongoing changes to regulations, growers have faced increasing challenges sourcing reliable labour.
"The technology we will be trialing in this project is already being used successfully by some of the largest nut, citrus, and vineyard operations in the United States, delivering higher productivity, improved crop consistency, and reduced exposure to human error and fatigue. We hope that with grower consultation and plenty of technology testing, we will be able to see similar results come out of this for our Australian nut growers," explained Fifield.
The AI-driven platform also enables real-time data collection and analysis, allowing growers to make informed, data-driven decisions about their crops.
Graham Thompson, Director of Business Development at Bluewhite shared: "We're proud to bring Bluewhite's autonomous platform to Australia as part of this collaboration. With real-world experience from US farms, we're excited to work hand-in-hand with Hort Innovation and selected Australian growers in almonds, pistachios, and macadamias to demonstrate how autonomy can increase productivity, improve yield quality, and reduce operational strain. We've built Pathfinder and Compass to integrate seamlessly with existing equipment and to match the speed, precision and consistency that specialty crop production demands."
"Australia is one of the world's top exporters of almonds and macadamias, with nut crops representing a significant and growing part of the horticulture sector. The industry's openness to innovation makes it an ideal match for Bluewhite's proven, grower-first approach."
In addition to operational gains, the autonomous system enhances worker safety by limiting human exposure to hazardous tasks, chemicals and extreme heat - major risk factors in orchard operations.
As part of this project, Hort Innovation Frontiers and Bluewhite will engage with growers across key nut-producing regions to gain a deeper understanding of the Australian nut industry including on-the-ground challenges, equipment preferences, and environmental conditions. This feedback will guide further development, system customisation, and the creation of a tailor-made business model to meet the needs of Australian nut growers, with a specific focus on orchard operations in almond, pistachio, and macadamia farms.
