The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD) Farms of the Future program is inviting local producers and horticultural stakeholders to attend a Field Day at Stoneleigh Orchard on Thursday, 8 May 2025, to celebrate the launch of the new Agtech Collaboration Site.
The site, located at 755 Ophir Road, Orange, will operate until June 2028 and has been established to demonstrate a range of agricultural technologies designed to support orchard monitoring, irrigation scheduling, and automation.
NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Agtech Specialist, Clare Belfield, said the collaboration site aims to support producers in exploring and adopting innovative Agtech tools tailored to their specific operations.
"This site is about showing producers what's possible – using real orchard conditions and real technologies," Ms Belfield said.
"We're showcasing solutions that improve efficiency, profitability and sustainability for apple and cherry growers, with broader benefits for mixed farming and horticulture systems right across the Central West."
The Stoneleigh Field Day will include expert presentations and hands-on demonstrations of orchard technologies in use. Attendees will hear from a range of industry representatives, including:
- Clare Belfield, NSW DPIRD Farms of the Future representative, who will outline the site's vision and planning process;
- Mark Wyers from MAIT Industries, who will present on in-field Agtech tools including weather stations, soil moisture probes, tank level sensors, and irrigation automation – as well as provide a walkthrough of the MAIT dashboard;
- Ian Pearce, owner of Stoneleigh Orchard, who will share insights into his Agtech journey and how he uses digital tools to manage day-to-day orchard operations;
- Jessica Fearnley-Pattison (NSW DPIRD) and Summer Song (NSW DPIRD), who will present early research outcomes from trials using Agtech to manage cherries under protective covers.
Attendees will also see a wide range of Agtech in action, including, Weather stations, Soil moisture probes, Tank level sensors, Valve controllers, Pump automation systems, Flow and pressure sensors, and an integrated digital dashboard.
Ms Belfield said the event is free and open to all horticultural producers, education groups, and stakeholders from across the Central West.
"This is an exciting opportunity to see cutting-edge Agtech in practice, Ms Bellfield said".
"We're encouraging producers from the region to register and discover how these solutions can help build resilience and drive growth in their businesses."
The free Stoneleigh Field Day will be hosted at Stoneleigh Orchard, 755 Ophir Road, Orange NSW, on Wednesday 8 May 2025, from 9:30am to 12:00pm.
This site is part of the Farms of the Future Program which assists producers around NSW utilise technology to improve the productivity of their farms.
The site builds on a number of seasons of collaboration between DPIRD and local producers, and is one of many demonstration sites being built across NSW where producers can see hand on technology in action.
