Hey team! Today, Elinz is releasing brand new reverse cameras perfect for farming. Here, we'd like to share with you the best way to get started and how our products can help.
Australia is a major agricultural power. As both a producer and exporter, it earns $155 billion-a-year for a 12% share of GDP. It also leads the world with 35 million hectares certified organic, accounting for more than half (51%) of the world's certified organic agriculture hectares
However, the industry is facing severe issues. Farm employment is still in a continuous decline, exacerbated by the on-going pandemic. The jobs gap in the region used to be filled with foreign workers like immigrants and short-time backpackers. However, as per The Sidney Morning Herald, “The government estimates farmers have lost access to more than half the foreign backpackers who would usually take up short-term agriculture jobs, with the number falling from 160,000 to 70,000 now in the country.”
Now, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud and the Morrison government are trying out new measures to encourage people on JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to take the farming jobs when the industry cannot recruit enough foreign workers during the pandemic. This includes a $300 "income free area" that allows recipients to earn up to that amount without losing any of their fortnightly $815.70 JobSeeker payment.
With the city job market getting more and more congested, the unemployment rate rising, and the huge, over-priced, and overpopulated urban areas causing a decline in young people’s overall health and welfare, it seems like rural life has become something that many are considering.
The question now is how exactly do you get a start in the farming industry?
Get your education.
Take up courses under TAFE to learn specific skills and get certified. With most Certificates and Diplomas running for 6 to 24 months, it’s a shorter period to be knowledgeable in the industry. TAFEs are also more affordable than college courses and can be done in a variety of settings. There are small courses like agronomy/pasture management, animal husbandry, agriculture finance, etc. that are critical and extremely useful. This can also help you decide what specific product you’d like to farm.
Apply as a farmhand.
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This will help you gain invaluable experience and knowledge you can only learn about through working with your hands (like fencing, animal health, etc). Plus, this way, you can also get the most out of the government’s incentives. Being a farmhand will mentally prepare you for the long hours involved in farming, be mentored by people established in the field, and gain networks and connections in the industry.
Acquire farming equipment and learn how to maintain them.
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With so many options available, it may be exciting to shop for new farming gear. But keep your budget in mind and invest in essentials that are durable and multi-purpose.
Most importantly, make sure they’re essential to your specific sector.
For example, a farmer who grows crops needs different equipment from a dairy farmer. If you’re going into horticulture, would you need a cultipacker? Don’t forget to use your community connections to have access to workers who can provide maintenance and repair for your farming equipment.
Make the most of your vehicles!
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Depending on what type of farm you’ll be having, your vehicle will most likely be one, any, or all of the following — a tractor, an ATV/UTV, a farm truck, a wagon, and/or a backhoe. These are heavy-duty vehicles that are extremely helpful when it comes to working in agriculture. It may take some time to get used to using and maintaining them compared to conventional city cars.
At this point, it might be good to consider vehicle accessories made especially to meet the demands of their environment. These accessories not only make operating them easier and more efficient, but it can also protect them in the long run.
Take, for instance, the Elinz 7" Quad Screen Waterproof Monitor HD 12V/24V Reversing CCD Camera. You might be wondering if there is actually a reverse truck camera, or whether a reversing camera can be fitted into tractors. The good news is this reversing CCD camera with a waterproof HD monitor utilizes industrial-grade and heavy-duty, hard metal cases, making them IP68 waterproof and mud proof. Also, the 120-degree wide field of view and up to four cameras input connection capacity to a single monitor makes this the perfect package for heavy-lifting, expansive agricultural tasks.
If you’re worried about a blurry reverse camera output due to a monitor that can’t keep up, any good reversing camera worth its salt should have Elinz’s 7” Colour TFT-LCD Wide Screen with Sunshade Design. Prevent the glare of sunlight, have better picture clarity, colour contrasting, and sharpness in a large screen that can display single, split, triple, or quad screen views.
Think long term!
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In the end, running a farm is not a short-time gig. Think in terms of seasons, harvests, and years. Plan schedules ahead, and work with the natural cycle of the environment.
People would joke that if you’re thinking of starting a farm, then get a spouse. The fact of the matter is, farming is indeed the long haul and, if you’re one to consider starting a family, then you have to take that into account in your long-term plans. Marriage can be a huge benefit for your farm life — better tax benefits, joint management, trusty partnerships, and, of course, you get to spend the rest of your life with the person you love.
Shifting to life in the regions may not be as easy as cushy city lives, but it is definitely and infinitely more satisfying and rewarding. With all the preparations in place, you can start a life closer to the earth, contributing to a richer human experience not just for one’s self but for the sustenance of all.
