FarmLab CEO Sam Duncan undertaking a project at a Swan Hill, Victoria property. Photo: FarmLab

AUSTRALIAN biotech company VRM Biologik has announced a partnership with agronomy and farm data group FarmLab to help American farmers regenerate land.

The strategic partnership will see VRM Biologik and FarmLab collaborate to accurately map processes of farmland restoration.

Pilots will be undertaken with selected farmers in the US before launching the technology on a global scale.

Based in Armidale, New South Wales, FarmLab allows farmers to isolate specific areas on their land to gather accurate data and measure the impacts of enhanced soil quality, improved biodiversity, and changes in flora and fauna against a backdrop of larger areas.

The implementation of this technology aims to improve farmers’ understanding of their land when considering changes to climate, natural disasters, and the impacts of regenerative activities.

Queensland company, VRM Biologik, contributes its world-first technology for improving carbon sequestration and soil moisture to the partnership.

This technology gives farmers the ability to grow in dry periods, without chemical inputs and increases the capacity for farmers to regenerate their own soil.

This partnership will allow farmers to have a greater understanding of the improvements VRM Biologik’s processes and solutions are generating and provide them a more holistic picture of their overall  outcomes.

Program to begin in Colorado

The partnership is being kicked off in Colorado, the state selected due to the vast farmland.

VRM Biologik chief executive officer Kellie Walters said she is looking forward to seeing the early results from the partnership.

VRM Biologik CEO Kellie Walters. Photo: VRM Biologik

“We are thrilled to join forces with FarmLab, and eagerly anticipate the outcomes of this partnership in our introductory period in Colorado,” Ms Walters said.

“Our solutions for soil health, partnered with FarmLab’s data-tracking abilities will shape a new, aligned approach to understanding the benefits of regenerative farming practices globally.”

FarmLab will act as an aggregator to compile data from farms which implement VRM Biologik’s soil enhancing programs and relay this information on an app for farmers to analyse.

Boost soil health, productivity

The technology will integrate with soil testing laboratories to streamline environmental testing and reduce the cost of sample collection.

FarmLab chief executive officer Sam Duncan said the system will support the processing and modelling of environmental data, such as, soil carbon, water content, nutrient availability and cover crop quality and diversity.

“We hope the partnership will support rural US businesses to take advantage of the growing carbon offset markets and regenerative movement, giving local farmers and service providers the technology and support to measure and improve soil,” Mr Duncan said.

It is hoped the partnership will see farmers more confidently undertaking programs to enhance soil productivity and result in improved overall yield and increased crop quality and consistency as well as generating wider environmental benefits.

Source: VRM Biologik, FarmLab