Our Vision & Mission

A generation of farm workers with skills to transform the horticulture industry.

 

It is our mission to:

 
  1. Train an efficient and skilled SMART farming workforce that can rise to meet current demands and proactively contribute to the future requirements of the horticulture sector.  
  2. Provide accessible support, trials, networks, information, skills, education and training to horticulture farmers to facilitate a move away from industrial era practices towards a SMART farming model that utilises automation and technology.
  3. Deliver skills, training and education to improve the capability of the horticulture industry to manage resource and environmental constraints, while sustainably increasing production, and producing more with less.

Future Vision

The re-purposing of the SuniTAFE Cardross Farm into a SMART Farming Horticulture Training and Innovation Hub will provide a state-of-the-art facility for: 
 
  • Vocational training
  • Trials and testing
  • Education linkages
  • Innovation
  • Entrepreneurialism
  • Industry participation
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Shared learning
  • New technologies
  • Automation
  • Start-ups
  • Job-ready workforce development. 
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Projects and case studies

New Trial – Sentinel Mobile Disease Surveillance Unit

The SuniTAFE SMART Farm will host the Sentinel mobile disease surveillance unit for a Sunraysia study during the summer of 2021/22. The Sentinel unit monitors airborne pests and diseases to aid on-farm pest management decisions. Read more

SMART Farm crop diversity "ideal" location for iMapPESTS project

THE SuniTAFE SMART Farm has played a critical role in a program to improve bio-security preparation, resilience, and responsiveness to pests in horticulture and agriculture. Read more

Crop trials a SMART idea

A collaboration between Australian Primary Hemp (APH) and SuniTAFE will see the land at the SuniTAFE SMART Farm set aside for hemp plantings, to assess its suitability to collect data on low-THC hemp varieties. Read more

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Ways you can get involved

Corporate partners
We're proud to partner with a number of industry leading organisations. Find out more about our partnerships and join our expanding network.

 
Trials & Research
Help shape the future of horticulture and connect with others.  Businesses are invited to trial new agricultural technology and crops.

 
School Involvement
The SMART Farm offers site tours, special events, topical talks and demonstrations to involve schools and showcase the range of new career options in horticulture. 
 

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