Ep 34: Talking Artificial Intelligence with InFarm

EPISODE 34:

Artificial intelligence and machine vision is groundbreaking technology allowing for the autonomous detection of anything from weeds to livestock disease.  

In this episode we speak to principal agtech scientist for the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Paul Stewart, about how challenges like connectivity are being overcome to allow for AI camera detection to be more widely adopted. 

InFarm founder Jerome Leray explains how artificial intelligence technology is being applied in weed detection and cow/calf unit identification in expansive operations in northern Australia.  

Goondiwindi cropper and beef cattle farmer Luke Arbuckle has been using the InFarm AI system to detect weeds for spot spraying and for terrain mapping. 

If this discussion whets your appetite, you can hear more at the Digital Agrifood Summit 2024 in Wagga Wagga 29-30 October, exploring how AI can be harnessed for industry wide benefit. Is it time to “let it rip”, or do we need to maintain control? Book your tickets now. 

FEATURING:

PAUL STEWART – DAF QLD 

Paul Stewart is a Principal AgTech Scientist within Department of Agriculture and Fisheries who helps Queensland’s animal industries use AgTech to improve production, welfare and sustainability. He has worked across the state from Cloncurry to Goondiwindi, looking for technology solutions to help solve industry issues, not just for the sake of tech. He works with a team of scientists with expertise in mechatronics, automation, artificial intelligence, machine vision and data science.  His role is to identify industry needs and then develop solutions in DAF’s Agtech Innovation Centre and help establish DAF’s smart farms across the state. 

JEROME LERAY – INFARM  

Jerome Leray is the Founder and Managing Director of InFarm and is committed to delivering solutions to farmers that increase productivity, resilience and sustainability. With a BCommerce and postgrad qualifications in Mineral Exploration and GeoScience, Jerome founded InFarm in early 2017 off the back of a highly successful aerial surveying and remote sensing business.  For his contributions to technology and agriculture Jerome received a QLD Community Achievement Award and led InFarm to be awarded the Australian Food and Agribusiness of the Year in 2019 

LUKE ARBUCKLE – QUEENSLAND FARMER   

Luke Arbuckle is a beef cattle and cropping farmer from Goondiwindi, Queensland. He has been an early adopter of InFarm technology, using the AI system to detect weeds for spot spraying and for terrain mapping. He says he can see the technology also being applied to the identification of soil mineral deficiencies and weed trends.