Why We’re Starting with Our People, Not the Paddock
In agriculture, we love to talk about what’s next. And right now, what’s next is autonomy... or is it?
From operator assistance to full-machine automation, we’re seeing the roadmap unfold. At Vantage NSW, we already have Level 4 autonomy in our portfolio. Yes, today. Machines capable of performing field operations with minimal human intervention.
So why haven’t we shouted it from the rooftops? Why aren’t we pushing it straight to market?
Because the real story isn’t about what autonomy can do. It’s about who supports it.
We are Farmer First - We are also Our Team first.
Before autonomy can succeed in the paddock, it has to succeed in the shed, the workshop, and the training room. Our people need to know these systems inside out. They need to be confident installing them, troubleshooting them, and maintaining them in the heat of a harvest.
That’s why we’re deliberately pacing ourselves
As a governance professional and business development leader, I’ve seen again and again that technology without readiness is risk. It compromises trust, undermines safety, and jeopardises growth. In agriculture, those risks are magnified—because our growers depend not just on innovation, but on confidence that solutions are safe, supported, and sustainable.
That’s why we’ve taken a deliberate approach.
What approach is that - I hear you ask... Well, that's our secret sauce.
Autonomy has and will continue to transform farming; driving productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. But the true marker of success won’t be the machinery in the paddock. It will be the confidence farmers feel, knowing that the technology is backed by governance, responsibility, and people who are ready.
At Vantage NSW, we are proud to say: we are farmer first, we are team first. That’s not a slogan, it’s our operating principle. And it’s why when autonomy reaches the paddock, it will do so safely, responsibly, and with the trust of those who matter most.
Autonomy won’t succeed in isolation. It will take growers, regulators, tech partners, and service providers working side by side. I welcome conversation with anyone ready to engage in the responsible rollout of autonomy because together, we can ensure this next chapter of agriculture is safe, scalable, and sustainable.
Written by:
CJ Baldry Adams | Vantage