Thousands of people came through the gate for the three days of FarmFest 2026 this week.

THERE’S nothing like widespread rain to freshen the outlook after an autumn of inflated fertiliser and fuel prices and make farmers turn with hope to the next harvest.

While rain last week did not fall everywhere, it has enabled many growers across southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, who were out in force at Elders FarmFest 2026, to plant some or all of their winter crop after a very dry few months.

Taking place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week, FarmFest 2026 was timed perfectly for growers, like Bowenville farmer Kim Bremner, who are waiting for ground to dry out before they get into winter-crop planting.

Held annually since the 1970s, FarmFest gives farmers and livestock producers the chance to find out about or price new equipment and technology in their never-ending quest for increased efficiency.

Among the international visitors to FarmFest 2026 was Dylan Kottkamp, who is completing his Master of International Agriculture Program with a focus on business at Oklahoma State University.

His course requirement includes an international placement, which has brought him to Australia for the first time for five weeks with SwarmFarm.

He has already spent two weeks at Harden in NSW, where SwarmFarm conducts some of its R&D, and is spending this week at Wellcamp, where SwarmFarm manufactures its robots used mostly for spraying in broadacre and horticultural operations.

“Then I’m off to Bundaberg to see how SwarmFarm is used in horticulture, and I’ll finish up at Emerald.”

SwarmFarm intern and Oklahoma State University student Dylan Kottkamp with AGDATA Australia’s development support, solutions and AI specialist Patrick Sheehan, Toowooomba on the Croplands site at FarmFest 2026.

Mr Kottkamp’s placement came about through a connection SwarmFarm co-founder Josie Bate has with academia, and Mr Kottkamp said the SwarmFarm experience has been an eye-opener.

“We have nothing like it in the States that I know of.”

The Muddy River exhibit had Canadian visitor Chad Jones on site on his first visit to FarmFest.

Based at Regina, Saskatchewan, Mr Jones is director of sales for Degelman Industries, and was on hand to field inquiry about the HDSR1320, the heavy-duty staggered ripper, which is used to loosen compaction in any type of arable country.

The machine’s points get down to 61cm, and both Mr Jones and field technician Clinton Hayward of Degelman distributor Muddy River said the recent expense of fuel has done nothing to dent grower programs for ameliorating country.

“At home, they still need to do the same process each year,” Mr Jones said of the Canadian farmer.

“That’s what they’re doing here too,” Mr Hayward said.

Goondiwindi grower Ben Coulton, NAB state regional and agribusiness executive Alison Blanchard, Brisbane, Degelman Industries director of sales Chad Jones, Canada, and Suzie Edwards, Dalby-based NAB business banking executive for Goondiwindi, Dalby and Kingaroy on the Muddy River site at FarmFest 2026.

Among the regular exhibitors was Eastern Spreaders, the distributor in eastern Australia for Western Australian-made Marshall Multispread units.

The company also distributes imported NDEco feed mixers, RENN roller mills, and Degelman manure spreaders.

Eastern Spreaders workshop manager Rodney Sitters, Milawa, said recent sales to the livestock sector have offset slower ones to broadacre cropps.

“Good livestock prices have boosted sales of mills and mixers, but high fertiliser prices have slowed down spreader sales,” Mr Sitters said.

“We’ve just had five of the best cropping years ever; it’s got to be expected.”

Kerang, Vic, business Eastern Spreaders was a return exhibitor to FarmFest 2026, and workshop manager Rodney Sitters is pictured on the stand with his children Dusty, Jed and Roree, holding Effie.

Exhibitors from NSW included HE Silos director Darryl Morrison and wife Cherylee up from Gunnedah.

While grain silos for on-farm storage are the Forbes-based company’s bread and butter, the Morrisons said strongest demand in recent months has come from the livestock sector.

“People have been more interested in smaller silos for storing pellets for feeding to stock,” Mr Morrison said.

Recent strength in cattle as well as sheep prices has been driving HE Silos sales north of the border.

“Over the past months, silos [for feed] have sold through northern NSW and up into Queensland to St George, Roma and Emerald,” Mrs Morrison said.

HE Silos exhibitors Darryl and Cherylee Morrison, Gunnedah on site at FarmFest 2026.

The company has also been selling kit silos into the Northern Territory for assembly on property.

Rocks Gone was at Farmfest for its second year, after a successful visit last year that saw its H4 Reefinator unit on show sell to the Cook family following an on-farm demonstration at their property Kindon Station, east of Goondiwindi.

Based in Western Australia, the company has “worked its way east”, according to Bendigo-based business development manager Adrian Carr.

The company set a record of seven for field days attended last year, and Mr Carr said the exposure is invaluable.

“That’s why these events are important; the first time people see this machine, they ask: what is it?

“Then they ask what they can do with it.”

The H4 Reefinator weighs 22.5 tonnes, and can carry up to 6t of water while operating.

It has been used successfully in arable country across southern Australia to boost productivity, and the company is now making forays into the US.

This week’s event at Kingsthorpe, on Toowoomba’s north-western fringe, was the 51st FarmFest.

It featured three firsts, namely the inclusion of a drone demonstration site, the involvement of UNE as an education partner, and the hosting of a Rural Press Club of Queensland lunch.

The lunch featured a look into digital agriculture with DataFarming’s Tim Neale and Agworld’s Meg Kummerow, and a report on their insights will be published on Grain Central on Monday.

Rocks Gone business development manager Adrian Carr, Bendigo, with Perth-based managing director Tim Pannell and parts and technical manager Kilian Piriou.

Farmarco client manager James Greenwood with Rabobank Toowoomba’s senior rural manager Melanie Graham and rural manager Phoebe Boydell.

Bowenville farmer Kim Bremner and nephew Aydin Bremner check out a New Holland CR10 combine harvester at FarmFest 2026.

Warwick family Sarah and Michael Benz with their sons Clancy (standing) and Darby.

Cattle and cropping producers Ed Willis, Bullamon Plains, Thallon, and Mitchell Cameron, Moonie.

Tammin, WA, grower Brad Jones, Bungulla Farms, DataFarming’s Tim Neale and Way With Words director Peter Lewis ahead of the first Rural Press Club of Queensland event to be held at FarmFest.

Agricultural Requirements sales manager Hilton Hoger with Upper Tent Hill horticulturists Mark Kilah and son David Kilah.

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