Moving from machinery parts to a new role in the Precision Agriculture team is a challenge that Ramsey Bros’ Mitch Hein can’t wait to sink his teeth into.
“It’s very different being out on the road and dealing with on-farm systems to working behind the counter in parts,” he said. “It’s really good”.
Mitch said his transition to Precision Ag was particularly appealing given the growth in software development to support today’s farming operations.
“For me, Precision Ag is where farming is heading,” he said. “You can’t really do too much without it these days. It’s forever changing and there is always something new to keep you on your toes and learning.”
Nairne born and bred, Mitch didn’t grow up on a farm himself, but he comes from a farming family with his dad, Neil, running a property at Pallamana, north-west of Murray Bridge, before moving into earthmoving and then also joining Ramsey Bros in 2011.
“I’ve always been around farming,” Mitch said. Yet after eight years working in the busy Ramsey Bros parts department, he said the opportunity to follow his passion for Precision Agriculture and develop his career within the South Australian family owned and run company was too good to refuse.
“I find it fascinating what you can control with a machine,” Mitch said. “The technology is really quite amazing.
“Ramsey Bros has always given me a really strong platform to learn, and now the opportunity to move into this field, which is exactly what I want to do.”
With the rapidly increasing demand for on-farm and in-the-cloud data and the complexity of tools available to monitor and analyze every facet of farm performance, productivity and potential, Mitch is looking forward to working with local farmers in a different capacity.
“I am here for the long haul now,” Mitch said. “I am keen to cement myself in this role and put myself in a good position to support the district.”
The difficult environmental factors facing the Murray-Mallee mean local farmers need to make the most of every square metre in every paddock.
“I think the machines are getting to the point now where detail is everything,” Mitch said. “It’s all about seed placement, the timing of the crop etc – they are the on-farm challenges where we can really help.
“Most farmers, even some older ones who swore they’d never get into Precision Ag, would not go back now.”
The sheer range of Precision Agriculture options, from guidance and flow control systems to data management packages, may be confusing, especially for those coming in at an entry level.
“At Ramsey Bros, we have a Precision Ag solution for every farmer, and every farm,” Mitch said.
“Yes, it can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but my role is to find the right system that delivers the right information at the right time – while offering real value for money.”
Contact: Mitch Hein, Integrated Technologies Consultant, Ramsey Bros (Murray Bridge)
Phone: 0427 282 318
Email: mhein@ramseybros.com.au
Web: Murray Bridge branch
