THE INNOVATORS
Andrew Neill of Onfarm Data: Innovating With Irrigation Data in New Zealand
A diagram of Onfarm Data’s Aquaflex soil moisture tape.
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nowledge is power, and nowhere is this truer than in the need for precise data for irrigation in New Zealand. The limitations of the country’s freshwater supply, soil, and regulatory regime necessitate precise use of each drop of water. Accurate data also ensure the precise application of water and fertilizer and allow nutrients to be tracked and controlled to prevent contamination of water resources. Andrew Neill’s company, Onfarm Data, is an innovator in this space. Working with farmers, irrigators, and local regulators, Onfarm has supplied data that all parties use to maximize water and nutrient resources with minimal environmental impact. In this interview, Mr. Neill tells Irrigation Leader about his family’s deep roots in agriculture, how Onfarm Data’s products are making a difference in New Zealand, and how they can also help address water challenges in the United States.
Andrew Neill: My forefathers were some of the first settlers to arrive in Christchurch. My parents were originally located around 15 km (9.3 mi) from Christchurch in Lincoln; they then moved to a small dairy farm 100 km (62 mi) further south. They milked 100 cows twice a day in an eight-bail walk-through system. I am one of 6 children; we are all still located on the South Island of New Zealand. Some of us are still in agriculture; my brother is a partner in a dairy farm in North Canterbury. He’s running 650 cows through a 60‑bail rotary, with water supplied for irrigation via a pressured pipe scheme with 2 wiper pivots and 500 solid-set sprinklers on poles. My sister farms on a dryland deer farm, and my father is semiretired on a small viticulture block just outside of Blenheim in Marlborough, where he grows Sauvignon Blanc grapes.
Irrigation Leader: How long have you been with your company?
Irrigation Leader: How many employees does Onfarm Data have?
Irrigation Leader: How long has your family been in New Zealand?
32 | IRRIGATION LEADER | June 2021
Andrew Neill: Onfarm Data currently has seven employees; however, we are part of a group of three companies that share resources. There are approximately 45 staff in the group. The other two companies are ATL and Onfarm Solutions. ATL is an electrical technology company that does everything from domestic, industrial, and commercial wiring to high-end automation, including sound systems or setting up homes with the latest technology for entertainment and home management systems. Onfarm Solutions focuses on farm solutions relating to automation and dairy sheds. It’s technology to reduce the operator’s workload and to provide consistent results day in and day out. Adding technology allows staff to be transferred to other positions that add more value to the farming operation. We share resources, including marketing, engineering, design, and IT, to get the best bang for our irrigationleadermagazine.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ONFARM DATA.
Andrew Neill: Onfarm Data Ltd was formed in June 2017. Originally, the control system was developed by Onfarm Solutions, but with the continuing focus on water and nutrient management and regulation, I joined the other directors to form a standalone company. Onfarm Solutions has been partnering with dairy farmers for 13 years, and its technology is focused on automation within dairy sheds. It has developed technologies such as the Teatwand Exact, Teatwand Stepover, and Teatwand Rapid, which are helping many U.S. customers. We focus on whole-of-farm systems for irrigation, fertigation, effluent management, data, and control. Today, Onfarm Data is based in Christchurch, on the South Island of New Zealand. Eighty-five percent of the consented water takes are within 160 kilometers (km), or about 100 miles (mi), of us.
