Technology Meets Resilience: How SA Dairy is Building Through Drought

On National Agriculture Day, South Australian Dairyfarmers' Association’s Andrew Curtis reveals how innovation and forward planning are helping SA dairy farmers recover from the worst drought on record - and prepare for growth.

Nearly half of South Australia's dairy cows are now wearing what Andrew Curtis calls "a Fitbit for cattle" - collars that track movement, rumination and health in real-time.

It sounds futuristic, but for SA dairy farmers recovering from an unprecedented drought, this technology has been a lifeline.

"With the technology tracking the welfare of the animal, you get a good feeling for how they're going," explains Curtis, CEO of the South Australian Dairyfarmers' Association. "We can identify health issues earlier, achieve more successful joinings and cows calve quicker."

The Unprecedented

From July 2023 to September 2024, Adelaide received approximately 300mm of rain. The next worst drought on record was 1915.

"People who have been running properties on the Fleurieu all their lives faced a serious shock," Curtis says. The financial toll has been brutal - some members spent half a million dollars over budget on feed alone just to keep their herds alive.

The South East has emerged from the drought, but the Fleurieu remains on a knife's edge.

Yet Curtis remains optimistic about the industry's future. The reason? Technology is fundamentally changing what's possible in dairy farming - even through crisis.

Managing the Individual, Not Just the Herd

Robotic milking systems now manage individual cows based on their size and production needs. Genomics enables precision breeding. Virtual fencing - though still navigating legislative hurdles in SA - allows farmers to create and change paddock configurations instantly.

"What's cool about the tech is that whether you have 100 cows or 1,000 cows, you can manage each as an individual," Curtis says.

But dairy farmers aren't just adopting technology because it's trendy - they've been data-driven since the 1970s, when herd testing began providing monthly reports on each cow's performance.

"That predisposes the industry to embrace tech as a continuation of what we've always done," Curtis notes. "We're not just committed to animal welfare - we actually measure it, and we can tell you about it."

Plan to Farm: Recognising Dairy's Future

Technology alone won't secure SA dairy's future. Curtis and SADA are advocating for fundamental policy shifts through what they call "Plan to Farm."

The concept is straightforward: recognise that dairy farming is going to be here, and plan infrastructure and development around that reality rather than treating farms as an afterthought.

"See us as part of the future and work with us," Curtis urges. "Don't stick a road there and then retrospectively deal with the farm. Dairy farming is going to be here - how do we plan around that?"

Water is the critical challenge. "We need to be more efficient in how we use water, but we want the planning around future use of water to also include farms," he says. "We need clarity around policy settings on water - that's the key focus to know whether we'll have the water to support growth."

Despite recent drought, SADA is building toward ambitious growth - a 40% production increase.

The Traceability Opportunity

SADA isn't just advocating - it's building infrastructure for premium markets. The real opportunity Curtis sees is in traceability: following individual litres of milk through the entire supply chain.

"If we can trace a litre of milk through the system, we can attach data about carbon footprint or other attributes," he explains. This isn't novelty - it's increasingly essential for market access, particularly in overseas exports.

"If we can provide a quality product with assurance, that's a national opportunity," Curtis says. "Having a focus on quality and premium will be a good defence against global market pressures and climate volatility.”

The Next Generation

Curtis's optimism about SA dairy's future ultimately rests on one foundation: the next generation.

"A lot of it is around the people in their thirties, the people choosing to bring a family and manage a farming enterprise," he says. "Everything they bring - the enthusiasm, the knowledge, the willingness to learn - makes it easy to have confidence that the industry will adapt to deliver into the future."

The technological revolution is also changing who can succeed in dairy. "We don't need a heap of brawn anymore," Curtis notes. Today, he's consistently seeing operations where the next generation taking over is female - daughters and nieces who've gone off-farm, gained experience, and returned with fresh perspectives.

For STEM students, the appeal is particularly strong. "It's all biology, physics, chemistry - and it's the practical application of it, the real life context across an industry," Curtis notes.

Standing with the Land

So, what does this year's National Agriculture Day theme mean in practice?

"Pretty easy - choose to buy an SA product," Curtis says. "Sometimes it costs slightly more, but you get a better consumption experience. Buy local. Buy Australian. Buy quality and be assured."

But purchasing decisions are just the start. "Go and visit farms. Educate yourself about modern practices. Change is slow, but awareness makes a difference."

Standing with the land means understanding that the worst drought on record just happened, and farmers are still recovering. It's recognising that the person managing 1,000 cows with robotic milkers is also the person who spent an extra half-million dollars on feed this year to keep their herd alive.

It's knowing that when Andrew Curtis talks about confidence in the industry's future, he's not being naively optimistic - he's standing with farmers through the unprecedented, building policy frameworks for sustainable growth, and cultivating the next generation who'll carry dairy forward.

"If you're considering getting involved in agriculture, know that there are opportunities across so many domains," Curtis says. "Whether you're tech-inclined, business-minded, science-focused or hands-on practical - there's a place for you. And right now, we need people who want to solve problems, who are willing to learn and who understand that feeding people matters."

That's what Stand with the Land means. And that's what leadership looks like when you're building through drought.

About SADA: The South Australian Dairyfarmers' Association represents dairy farmers across SA's key production regions, advocating for industry sustainability, innovation, and growth. Learn more at sada.asn.au

About National Agriculture Day: Held annually on November 21, National Agriculture Day celebrates Australia's agricultural sector. This year's theme, "Stand with the Land," recognises the resilience of farmers who have faced record floods, droughts, and market challenges. Learn more at agday.org.au