Thousands set to attend massive agricultural field day
Australia's largest agricultural field day is marking a big milestone. Agquip is celebrating 50 years in the north west New South Wales town of Gunnedah.
Transcript
00:00 What better way to celebrate 50 years at AGQIP than having the old sitting right beside the new.
00:10 At the Field Days today it's really been a time of reflection as farmers catch up over these old tractors and share their memories
00:18 and then look and talk about the future of farming all around us.
00:22 Seamus McCarthy, you're someone who's been listening to those reflections. What are you hearing from local farmers when they look back at some of these old machines and reflect on 50 years or more?
00:35 Yeah, well one of the beauties of these vintage machines is that it resonates with the memories of their initial farming times
00:41 and they say this is the tractor that my granddad first taught me to farm on and so now we also look at the new tractors that we have on display
00:48 and the evolution of technology just allows that creature comforts for farmers to enjoy a more productive day in the field
00:55 but also get back in a lot less fatigued and to be able to spend some quality time with their family.
01:00 Well tell us about this tractor behind us because I imagine you mentioned comfort.
01:05 It probably wasn't the most comfortable but what is so special about this one behind us?
01:10 Well this is actually a prototype. There's only six of these made in the world
01:13 and so the Inverarayl collector Tom Hallward brought this from his display for us to use here at AGQIP today
01:18 but again it's such a unique tractor, it has such a presence and again just the quality of the refurbishment makes it stand out as an iconic tractor.
01:27 If you flash forward then and you look at the latest machinery surrounding these vintage tractors, how far has technology come just in that last 50 years?
01:38 It's been a dramatic improvement. As I said the technology advancement of yesterday to today is so vast
01:43 and one of the best things about the tractors of today is the comfort.
01:47 You hop in one of the latest tractors or our headers and they really look like and feel like a spaceship.
01:52 It's such an advancement and that just all adds to the productivity of the machines
01:56 to help farmers become more profitable and sustainable in their operations.
02:01 If you look ahead then, what do you think the next 50 years, what will a tractor look like then do you think?
02:07 Well I think we just kind of get an insight into the GPS and precision farming
02:12 and just the autonomy of tractors and machines these days
02:15 and I dare say it will be long before 50 years that we see autonomous tractors in the field
02:20 and then that's going to be the next level of productivity for farmers.
02:24 Seamus McCarthy is sharing some of his reflections here at AGQIP.
02:29 Many memories I think to be shared over the next three days.
02:33 These vintage machines really have been a big draw card for the locals
02:38 so I think there will be a lot of yarns to be had here at AGQIP.
02:41 at AGCrip.
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