Repair and Maintenance

Service and repair ute

We are excited to offer our customers an on-farm repair and maintenance service. Although our products are constructed to last, sometimes wear and tear, and accidents resulting in damage may happen. Our on-farm team is well-equipped and available to assist with any necessary repairs, no matter the size.

Please read our step-by-step On-Farm Repair and Maintenance Brochure outlining all the details.

National Ag Day Field Trip

National Ag Day

National Ag Day is a chance to celebrate the career opportunities the Agriculture Industry has on offer. From cotton farming in the Riverina to mustering cattle in the Top End or developing the next Agri Tech device that is going to change the game for the Agriculture industry. There is a career pathway for everyone.

We wanted to celebrate our teams contribution to the industry. Help bridge the gap between what our manufacturing team do, to where the product they are making ends up and how it is helping everyday Aussie Farmers.

So off we ventured to local dairy farmer Greg Brooks property in Strathmerton, Victoria. Greg took us on a farm tour of his property.

The team were able to ask lots of questions and dive deep into how our products work on farm.

Team on farm visit for Nat Ag Day
Team on farm visit for Nat Ag Day

 

Now Greg’s a pretty typical Aussie bloke, with a pretty good sense of humor to boot. He shared stories of being able to head to the footy on the weekend. His automation continued to work for him, even without him being there.

Simply set and forget!

Greg gets to enjoy a beer or two at the footy, and is still being productive back at the farm. With added reassurance from a text message or app notification to set his mind at ease that all is going to plan.

 

Greg Brooks, Dairy Farmer Strathmerton
Greg Brooks, Dairy Farmer Strathmerton

 

We were lucky enough to have founder John Padman join us for the day. John talked about the history of irrigation. Providing the team with an entertaining recount of where the company and the irrigation industry started. Along with the trials and tribulations that have got us to today’s automated irrigation technologies.

 

John Padman - Padman Stops Founder
John Padman – Padman Stops Founder

 

All up the team had a fantastic day learning from Greg. We can’t thank the Brooks family enough for having us on farm for the day and imparting their knowledge and experiences.

 

Our Quality Manager Jay enjoying our Field Trip
Our Quality Manager Jay enjoying our Field Trip

Are you Automation ready this season?

Featured Image Pre Irrigation Checklist

Pre Irrigation Checklist

 

To ensure your automation is in tip top shape and ready for you to start watering, we recommended a quick check over your devices.
We have created this handy checklist that will help you get the most from your automation this irrigation season.

Download your Pre Irrigation Checklist Here

 

Automation Pre Irrigation Checklist

Have you Updated your Padman App

Upgrade you App

We’re excited to let you know we have just updated our Padman IOS and Android App to enable some improvements for our customers.

 

The upgrade will mean that your phone app password will have been reset and will now be the same as your web app login details.

To open the webapp click below

Your user name is generally your email address and by using the “forgot password” link found on both mobile and webapps will reset and resend a default password to your email, once you log in a new password is created.

Step 1: In the web app go to the top right corner and select your name, then select “User Profile”

Step 2: Enter your new password and select “Save Password”

If you have forgotten your web app login or it doesn’t work as expected, please reply to this email and we will troubleshoot or reset your password for you.

We apologise for this small inconvenience.

Padman Android App
Download Padman Android App

 

IOS App
Download Padman IOS App

 

Padman Web App
Padman Web App

 

 

 

For more info on Farm Connectivity – CLICK HERE

 

 

Digital Agriculture Investment Scheme

Digital Agriculture Investment Grant

Save 50% on your farm automation!

Call us now to discuss – 1800 254 594

You may be eligible to receive up to $50,000 in funding from the Victorian government through the Digital Agriculture Investment Scheme.

Grants from $5,000 to $50,000 (ex GST) are available with a least a 50% contribution to assist farm businesses invest in eligible on-farm digital technology projects to improve productivity, resilience and the long-term viability of Victorian farms.

Grant applications are open now and will close on 31st October 2021 or before if funds are fully allocated prior.

 

For more information and to find out if you are eligible – Click Here

 

Visit us at the Newry Pipeline Field Day

Instant Asset Write-Off for businesses

Instant asset write off

Instant Asset Write-Off for businesses; Check your eligibility with the instant asset tax write-off an update your automation and infrastructure saving you time and money.

Eligible businesses can claim an immediate deduction for the business portion of the cost of an asset in the year the asset is first used or installed ready for use. The amount for each asset is $150,000 extended to businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $500 million.

Read the detailed Instant Asset Write-Off for businesses eligibility, thresholds, exclusions and limits and work out your deductions here.

Portable and Affordable Farm Automation
Padman AutoWinch PRO & Chatterbox PRO; Working together to save Water, Time & Money.

AUTO WINCH PRO

Our AutoWinch PRO is a rugged, portable and affordable farm automation system that has been designed to be relocated on a daily basis. It can be easily attached to any product that has our unique Padman manual winch.
The AutoWinch Pro can be operated on a time schedule to open and close your water gates / bay outlets. Or it can be triggered by the Chatterbox PRO.
It can then be moved to the next irrigation bay – making it a truly portable and affordable farm automation system.

CHATTERBOX PRO

Our Chatterbox is a portable sensor designed for detecting water as it moves across an irrigated area.
A typical use is to place the Chatterbox at a predetermined point on an irrigated bay. When water reaches that point, a signal can be used by the PAMS IoT network to:
Close the bay outlet
Open another bay outlet
Close or open a channel stop
Turn a pump on or off
Send an advice message to the irrigator.

Here you read more about these products and some of our other Automation products that will save you time and money.

If you are looking to upgrade your infrastructure you can check our products here and pick your industry.

Projects that supports our farmers and irrigation future

Resources Featured Image Sizing

Projects that supports our farmers and irrigation future such as Smarter Irrigation for Profit. Smarter Irrigation for Profit is a two-phase project that supports our farmers through valuable research in the following plan;

The Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase 1 project enabled the completion of valuable research in areas including irrigation system audits, irrigation scheduling research, investigation of new technology, evaluation of system design and water use efficiency assessments. It demonstrated that improved water productivity hinged on ‘Getting the Basics Right’. It found that irrigators could achieve a 10-20 percent improvement in farm profitability by adopting best practice and precision irrigation technologies. This initial project has now led to phase 2.

Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase 2 (SIP2) is a partnership between the irrigation industries of sugar, cotton, grains, dairy and rice, research organisations and farmer groups. The objective of SIP2 is to improve the profit of over 4,000 irrigators. It has 14 sub-projects covering three main components:

Development of new irrigation technologies including new sensors, advanced analytics to improve irrigation scheduling and strategies to reduce water storage evaporation.

Cost effective, practical automated irrigation systems for cotton, rice, sugar and dairy.

Closing the irrigation productivity yield gap for cotton, rice, dairy, sugar and grains irrigators through a network of 46 farmer led optimised irrigation sites and key learning sites located on commercial farms across Australia.

The initiative showcases project objectives and outcomes, events and case studies.
With the main objectives outlined above and in detail with closing the irrigation productivity yield gap through best practice in different farming industries such as dairy and Sugarcane to name a few. Findings on pump performance, soil moisture and data to make irrigation decisions working through these problems and solutions and addressing the key barriers to change with the use of a co-learning approach.

Developing new and innovative irrigation technologies, including the application of new sensors, advanced analytics for irrigation scheduling and strategies to reduce water storage evaporation.

There are 14 research projects being implemented on 36 farmer led optimized irrigation sites across. Bringing some of the best Australian irrigation researchers and farmers together with funding from Cotton, Sugar, Diary, Rice and Grains.

For example, in collaboration with our Padman Products The Smarter Irrigation for Profit team are able to measure irrigation advance and water height in the field. Soil moisture sensing gives you the ability to know when you will next irrigate, when to order water with its forecasting potential.

At the IREC field site has been running for 2 irrigation seasons and during this season there has been 5 irrigation events without human intervention to change anything.
Using a forecast model of 7 days in advance the sensing system has picked up when it needs to be irrigated across those days.
Then working out in what the deficit will be and place the water order. The gates automatically open and then the irrigation event is then optimized based of water height in the bankless bays.

Another one of many objectives for The Smarter irrigation for Profit projects is to get commercial grade products at a low cost. Currently pricing range is from $150 – $400 per hectare which varies depending on what bay size that gives farmers duel sensing and control.

Developing and delivering autonomous irrigation including improving automation components, more robust networks for sensing, control and precision application of water for cotton, rice, sugar and dairy irrigation systems. You can view the automation products we have on farms here.

Our team has had the pleasure of working closely with John Hornbuckle and his team over the past few years. We have automation and infrastructure on several of their research farms. We believe by contributing as an industry partner to this sort of research will not only help grow our business but more importantly will help grow and support the irrigation industry, well into the future.

We apprecaite all projects that supports our farmers and irrigation future.
Padman Stops are proud to be a part of the Smarter Irrigation for Profit program. This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program.

You can read, listen to via podcast and watch more about Smarter Irrigation for Profit here

We have more details here about our portable and affordable automation here. 

IMG 1499

 

Do you want to invest in digital technology for your farm?

IoT Grant for digital farm technology

Grants for farm technology of up to $25,000 are now open to farmers in the:

Wellington Shire

Loddon Shire

Buloke Shire

Moira Shire

City of Greater Shepparton

As part of the Victoria’s On-Farm Internet of Things (IoT) Trial, grants for farm technology of up to $25,000 are available to help dairy, horticulture, sheep and cropping farmers invest in IoT technology and get down to the nitty-gritty of what works and what doesn’t on their farms.

Network connectivity is also being delivered as part of trial.

How to apply

To find out if you’re eligible to take part go to agriculture.vic.gov.au/digitalag

What Padman products are eligible?

We are proud to offer some solutions that apply to those eligible for this grant;

Why should I automate my farm?

If you have ever been curious by farm automation technology, now is the time to investigate. Automation can give you back your lifestyle. Whether it be more time to do other jobs on farm, or more time with family and friends. Padman Automation can help you with all this and more.

Customers often tell us about how they are able to spend more time with their kids/grand children. By knowing their irrigation cycle was looked after and the re-assurance of a text message from their automation saying the change over had successfully happened, our customers are now able to irrigate without even needing to be on farm.

We create semi-automated systems that don’t take the farmer out of the scenario, but instead help the farmer work smarter. Not HARDER! We would love to chat to you about how we could potentially help you save more time, water and labour costs. And if you meet the eligibility requirement for this grant you will only be forking out 1/3 of the costs, with every $1 you spent, $2 is funded by the Dept of Ag.

We can’t imagine a better time to get into farm automation technology than now. Give our friendly team a call on 1800 254 594.

More info can be found HERE

 

Do you want to invest in digital technology for your farm

Reduce Labour Costs of Row Cropping

TNT Row Cropping

Row crop farming has unique challenges for farmers with continuous market changes and day to day operation expenses. Costs and labour differ from farmer to farmer. Solid automation products on farm can reduce labour costs of row cropping significantly, this being the source of most farmers headaches.

The “Talkin Tower” a.k.a the TnT was developed and purpose built for row cropping bringing precision alerts for your farm, ensuring perfect irrigation events every time.

Place the TnT in the furrow at the point where you now check your irrigation event is complete. Adjust the TnT to suit required water depth and then go and get on with other jobs knowing that your irrigation is being monitored.
Our automated solutions save time and fuel costs spent travelling around the farm checking equipment, manually opening, and closing bays, operating pumps and reducing your labor costs giving you peace of mind and a good night sleep.

You can also integrate your smart phone and TnT along with your other Padman Automation solutions via our APP allowing you to manage your entire irrigation system. Using real-time soil and environmental data from your farm, our easy to operate software gives you total control of your irrigation needs.

Significant savings in time, water and energy with increased production and yield are just some of the benefits for your farm.
Enhancing farm sustainability and your lifestyle.

The facts:

  • Robust powder coated All Aluminum construction
  • Standalone Variable Water Height/Depth Sensor
  • Solar and Battery Powered
  • Move with Crop Roation on a Seasonal Basis
  • Padman Web App and Padman Mobile App
  • Can Trigger Pump and AutoWinch

    TnT $1725 +

Reduce Labour Costs of Row Cropping.
Saving time, money, water and increasing productivity.

 

Other Sensor based Automation that you may be interested in:

Chatterbox Pro
Chatterbox Pro

We chat about portable and affordable automation options here

Read more about our sensor-based automation 

 

Dairy Irrigation Industry: We Remember Where We Come From!

Dairy cows next to a Padman Stop Channel Bay Outlet

The dairy irrigation industry is where we started this epic journey and will always be a HUGE part of the Padman Group business. While you may see us exploring new industries and building new businesses in other areas. Padman Stops will always remember where it all started!

Before Padman Stops

John grew up on a dairy farm near Mt Gwynne, NSW. Long hours, muddy fields and tricky manually operated dairy equipment were always a constant battle.

While working on the farm, John found himself in the shed more and more. Spending time developing solutions to make farming more manageable. His focus at this time was on watertight irrigation outlets with an interest in automation. During this period, John also invented his own “teat cup remover” for their dairy.

 

How It All Started

In 1988, John and Christine Padman purchased a house on the outskirts of Strathmerton, Victoria. They moved the family from the family farm, across the border to build his irrigation ideas further into commercial products. People thought they were crazy. But Johns passion and you, our dairy industry customers proved them wrong! The positive encouragement and constructive feedback had John focused on Irrigation outlets predominately for dairy farmers throughout the local region.

 

Precision Irrigation at Elmore Field Days
Precision Irrigation at Elmore Field Days

The First Padman Stop

The first Padman watertight rubber flap door was created in 1989. John knew from his own experiences, as well as listening to his customers that there had to be a better solution to the difficult to operate and leaking flood irrigation gates that were the industry standard at the time. With the shed set up, and time dedicated to develop the solution, the PADMAN STOP was born.

The original Padman Stop product had a precast concrete outlet with a hinged door and rubber flap to seal it and make it completely watertight. More products followed this initial success, and the rest, as they say, is history….

 

John and Shawn Padman next to a Padman Stop Bay Outlet
John and Shawn Padman next to a Padman Stop Bay Outlet

 

So while you may see us more actively promoting and developing new products for other industries lately, we are still here, working away for a better future for the dairy industry. If you would like to have a chat with one of our automation or dairy infrastructure specialists,  call 1800 254 594

 

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