Big Ideas, Real Farms: What Came Out of evokeAG 2026

The message from evokeAG 2026 in Melbourne was clear: Australian agriculture is changing fast — and regional producers are right at the centre of it.

From autonomous robots and virtual fencing to biosecurity, climate resilience and patient investment capital, this year’s event focused on one big question:

How do we turn bold ideas into practical tools that actually work on farm?

Here’s what matters most for regional businesses and farmers.

1. Virtual Fencing Approved in Victoria – A Regulatory Milestone

A major announcement came from the Victorian Government: virtual fencing has now been approved for use in the state.

The first licensed provider under the new framework is Halter, which uses smart cattle collars to manage livestock movement without physical fences. The company has opened a Melbourne office and plans to hire 100 staff this year.

Why this matters:

• Reduced fencing costs

• Greater flexibility in grazing management

• Improved land and environmental outcomes

• Faster livestock movement decisions

For dairy and beef producers — particularly in a state producing two-thirds of Australia’s milk — this is a significant shift.

It also shows something important: regulation can either slow innovation down or enable it. In this case, it’s doing the latter.

2. Robots Aren’t the Future — They’re Already Here

More than a decade ago, SwarmFarm Robotics backed autonomous farming when many dismissed it as unrealistic.

Today, their robots have worked across more than 5 million acres.

Co-founder Andrew Bate made a powerful point at evokeAG:

Breakthroughs don’t start by asking what farmers want. They start by challenging what everyone assumes can’t change.

Their journey wasn’t smooth. Early rejections. Building the first 100 robots in a farm workshop. Hard lessons. But that process built something more valuable than machines — it built manufacturing know-how and defensible intellectual property.

That’s a crucial lesson for regional innovators:
Persistence creates assets. Those assets create advantage.

3. Innovation Needs a Culture That Accepts Risk

Vow co-founder George Peppou didn’t sugar-coat it:

Australia struggles with risk tolerance.

Innovation requires failure. It requires capital that is patient. It requires backing research before commercial returns are guaranteed.

Investor Warren Bebb from Sprout Agritech reinforced this point: agriculture is a slow industry. Capital must match that reality.

For regional AgTech businesses, this means:

• Expect longer development timelines

• Secure funding partners who understand agriculture

• Protect your IP early — because your edge may take years to mature

4. Trust and Reliability Drive Adoption

Technology only works if farmers trust it.

Third-generation farmer Broden Holland summed it up simply:

If it doesn’t work straight away, it won’t get used.

That’s the reality.

AgTech companies must deliver:

• Practical solutions

• Reliable systems

• Clear ROI

• Simple integration

Flashy tech means nothing if it fails during seeding, spraying or harvest.

5. Remote and Autonomous Machinery is Accelerating

Victorian startup Ornata demonstrated remote operation of a tractor from a Melbourne control centre — operating machinery hundreds of miles away.

For regional producers facing labour shortages, this could be transformative.

Autonomous and remotely operated equipment could mean:

• Reduced reliance on seasonal labour

• Safer operations

• More flexible workforce models

• Increased operational efficiency

But again, adoption depends on reliability, training and support.

6. Biosecurity and Climate: The Non-Negotiables

Several panels focused on two issues that are not optional — biosecurity and climate resilience.

Mary Wu from the Australian Chicken Meat Association described biosecurity investment as an “insurance policy.” The warning was clear: we don’t need tech looking for problems — we need solutions built specifically for real industry challenges.

SunRice CEO Paul Serra reinforced that resilience in the food system starts with resilience on farm.

In other words:

Technology must strengthen core operations — not distract from them.

7. Collaboration Is the Only Way Forward

AgriFutures Australia Managing Director Brianna Casey AM captured the mood of the event:

Australia has great ideas. The challenge is translating them into research, development, extension, adoption — and real impact.

Innovation works best when it stays close to the farm gate.

That means collaboration between:

• Producers

• Researchers

• Investors

• Government

• Technology providers

8. Wine Australia’s $2.5M Signal to the Market

Another notable announcement: Wine Australia will invest $2.5 million (non-levy funds) alongside Tenacious Ventures to support high-impact agrifood innovation over the next five years.

This matters because it signals institutional confidence in long-term AgTech development.

For regional wine producers and suppliers, this could unlock new tools and efficiencies in coming years.

What This Means for Regional Businesses

The key themes from evokeAG 2026 weren’t abstract. They were practical.

• Autonomous systems are scaling.

• Virtual fencing is now regulated and live.

• Investors are watching — but they expect long-term thinking.

• Reliability and simplicity will decide winners.

• IP and manufacturing capability are strategic assets.

Regional Australia isn’t just adopting innovation — it’s building it.

The businesses that protect their intellectual property, structure their growth properly, and build defensible systems will be the ones that benefit most as AgTech matures.

If you’re developing new farming systems, digital platforms, machinery, food processing technology or climate solutions — now is the time to think seriously about how you protect what you’re building.

Because as evokeAG 2026 made clear:

It’s no longer about whether agriculture will change.

It’s about who will lead that change — and who will own the value created.

If you’re building new systems, machinery, software or food innovations, protecting your intellectual property isn’t optional — it’s strategic. Regional IP works with farmers, agtech founders and regional businesses across Australia to secure, structure and protect the ideas that give you your edge. If you’re developing something new, now is the time to make sure it’s properly protected.