SwarmFarm’s Jocie and Andrew Bate, Gindie, with Jimbour’s Susie Grant after unveiling SwarmFarm Robotics’ Autofill unit, which can hold up to eight different chemicals.

WHAT started as a concept on Andrew and Jocie Bate’s farm in Central Queensland in 2010 has evolved into a successful and expanding business, as evidenced by the official opening yesterday of SwarmFarm Robotics’ new manufacturing facility at Wellcamp.

Located just west of Toowoomba, the site is already making autonomous spray units, or SwarmBots, and yesterday unveiled its Autofill unit, which can store and mix up to eight chemicals.

It signals a new era for SwarmFarm, which now has 145 units operating around Australia that have jointly clocked up more than 300,000 operating hours, and covered more than 2.8 million hectares.“

“Our robots have driven to the moon and back three separate times,” Andrew Bate proudly told the gathering, as he also outlined the robots’ key attributes that come through their relatively smallness and simplicity.

In contrast to machinery made by many global manufacturers, it means owners of SwarmFarm units can exercise their right to repair themselves, or via an independent service provider.

The units also make better use of precious labour resources as the SwarmBots go about their business.

Challenging the paradigm

Mr Bate was fulsome in his praise of the Grants, and all SwarmFarm clients, who shared his and Jocie’s vision to buck the trend of “get big or get out”.

“Many family businesses and farming businesses have grown that way over the years…but our farm machines have become so big, so heavy, so cumbersome, so complicated.

“We’re now at the stage where machines are so big they damage the soil, and this is irreversible damage that we can’t fix.

Andrew Bate addresses the crowd gathered for the official opening of SwarmFarm’s Wellcamp facility.

“We live in a world where 80 percent of the world’s farming machinery comes from three big manufacturers.”

Mr Bate said farmers can “form this tunnel vision” around what those machinery dealers offer, and the SwarmFarm vision has been a counter to that.

“It was about small, simple and lightweight robots that didn’t damage the soil that could be loaded with smart tools and attachments and cutting-edge robotics.”

SwarmFarm bucked the trend of getting ever bigger, it created a group of growers that shared the vision.

“We kind of built a cult following of farmers who… were interested in trying another way.”

That group began in 2016, when Jimbour farmers Jamie and Susie Grant, who were part of yesterday’s event, bought their first SwarmBot, and then became the first to own two, and then three.

SwarmFarm’s first customer Jamie Grant speaks at the opening of the company’s Wellcamp facility.

“It could really move the dial that allowed right to repair and champion independence in terms of how we design our farms (and) how we deploy technology in our farming systems,” Mr Bate said.

“We’re giving Australian farmers a front-row seat in accessing the most sought-after technology in the world, and we’re working with other agricultural manufacturers across this region.

“Last year, we discovered there’s more spot-spraying technology going out on board our robots than the entire tractor and sprayer market combined.

“We’re effectively outselling the entire Big Three when it comes to this technology; farmers are choosing SwarmFarm robots to deploy cutting edge technology on their farm.

“We kind of realise that we’ve gone from non-consensus to consensus.”

Smarter use of labour

At Wellcamp for the opening was venture fund Emmertech partner Rob Russell from Victoria on Canada’s Vancouver Island.

Emmertech was the leading contributor to SwarmFarm in its funding round announced in 2023, and Mr Russell as a result is a SwarmFarm director.

“We think they are probably the most commercially advanced and farmer-focussed ag robotics company in the world,” Mr Russell, who first came across SwarmFarm at a conference in Canada, told Grain Central.

“They’re building something we think can change the world.”

Canadian visitor, SwarmFarm director and Emmertech partner Rob Russell with Data Farming managing director Tim Neale.

Mr Russell said right to repair and avoidance of soil compaction were major benefits of SwarmFarm equipment, as its ability to operate independently.

“The one that really stands out to us in short is labour optimisation.”

“No-one buys a SwarmFarm unit and puts an employee off; it allows them to deploy labour to higher-value tasks rather than driving around at 3 miles per hour.”

In Canada, as in Australia, farmers value the right to repair, and Mr Russell said this was also important.

“All the farmers can rig around on their own equipment.”

Rising tide lifts all businesses

In addressing the crowd at the opening, Mr Bate made mention of support from businesses SwarmFarm works with in areas from software to hydraulics and spray technology, as well as investors.

“The partnerships we’ve built have been really, really valuable.

“Everyone wins; farmers win; our partners win, we win, Australia wins.”

Simon Doolin from Doolin Agriculture, North Star, with Carmen and Richard Brown from Hampton Orchards.

PB Agrifood trader and agronomist Linden Bignell and general manager Ben McIntyre.

SwarmFarm Robotics support team member Jonathon Brownlow-Gay (right) with Taylor Childs and Steven Bintcliffe from Viridis Ag’s Oodnadatta Farms, Moree.

Goondiwindi grower Gus McClymont, Gindie grower and Andrew Bate’s father Ross Bate, and SwarmFarm’s assembly technician Phil Gibbs.

Claire Grummitt and Susie Grant.

Toowoomba’s CHP Industries does fabrication for SwarmFarm, and was represented at the Wellcamp opening by Ryan Gilliland and Corey Pascoe.

Cotton Australia sustainability and myBMP manager Rob Crothers with Federal Member for Groom Garth Hamilton and Jimbour grower Jamie Grant.

Goondiwindi grower Pete Carrigan with SwarmFarm Robotics’ Gemma O’Halloran.

Federal Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources regional manager Natalie Gruenfeld (centre) with Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise general manager Food Leaders Australia Rowena Beveridge and executive director Dr John McVeigh.

Grain Central: Get our free news straight to your inbox – Click here