AUSTRALIA has the chance to bolster its reputation as agriculture becomes the next $100 billion dollar industry.
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That's according to Matthew Pryor, whose group AgThentic is helping organise a free workshop in Bendigo for cutting-edge primary producers.
"People talk about Israel and the Netherlands in terms of really well-known places for agriculture and innovation," he said.
"Actually, Australia and New Zealand are leading innovators, but not at getting ideas to full commercial form.
"Part of what we want to do with the Farmers2Founders workshop is really give people a bit of a framework for thinking about adopting technology."
Farmer Jenny Delaforce plans to attend. She has been running meat sheep in Mansfield.
Her flock is of a burgeoning new breed created 25 years ago by Western Australian Neil Garnett.
The SheepMaster breed has emerged because of breakthrough technologies, Ms Delaforce said. Breeders need to keep improving its genetics to cope with new challenges.
"The drought has been around for a little while and people are looking to bring new life into their flocks - or look at this breed, which stands up under those conditions," she said.
"It's been bred to have good feet, to walk long distances if water is not close by."
Ms Delaforce has only been farming for a year and hopes the workshop will help her discover less invasive ways to breed artificially.
"I've come into this with my eyes wide open, questioning a lot of things that I don't understand yet," Ms Delaforce said.
"When I saw these workshops I thought 'this is great. there is all these issues and information I need'. This will give me access to networks and experts."
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Agriculture is being transformed by innovation, that often happens in isolation from other farmers who might benefit, Mr Pryor said.
The workshop will be the first step in a program to develop ideas uncovered on Tuesday, Mr Pryor said.
The three-hour workshop takes place at the Department of Land, Environment, Water and planning from 1pm. To register visit www.farmers2founders.com
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