Melbourne, 18 October 2021 – Bayer is joining a group of Australian heavy-hitters committed to the next frontier of food and agriculture, announcing a foundation membership with Australian Agritech Association (AusAgritech). 

Bayer’s partnership, alongside other esteemed industry leaders, will boost the influence and impact of AusAgritech in the nation’s agriculture sector. AusAgritech has set a $20bn agritech industry target through higher productivity and efficiencies, more skilled jobs and career opportunities in regional Australia, and by leveraging exceptional research and farming practices that drive more revenue for the economy.

The Australian association is a branch of the global Agritech industry, an industry that generates over $500 billion across the world each year. 

Bayer’s commitment is part of the company’s global $2.3 billion EUR research and development budget and one of numerous investments into promising start-ups that research sustainable agriculture solutions and climate-smart agriculture.

Chris Staff, Head of Digital Farming at Bayer, says this partnership is a clear signal to the industry of Bayer’s future in supporting technology driven solutions on-farm.

“It is our hope that we continue to see agriculture contribute to carbon targets across the globe, and industry leaders like Bayer have a responsibility to lead in this effort,” said Mr Staff.

“Australia aims to define itself as a world leader in agtech, and this partnership with AusAgritech provides the Association with stronger collaboration, access to capital and corporate backing, which will boost their influence to shape future agricultural policy.

“Bayer is proud to be aligning with this association, alongside other global leaders, to help AusAgritech accelerate Australia’s agricultural digital transformation.”

Andrew Coppin, Chair of AusAgritech, says Bayer’s membership is a significant milestone for the Association and its commitment to driving a positive impact in the industry.

“We’re excited to have Bayer on board to help kickstart our plans to enhance Australia’s agriculture sector,” Mr Coppin said.

“This is a big step in the right direction for our goal to foster a world-class agritech ecosystem and help create a prosperous future for Australian agrifood innovation.” 

Contact for media enquiries:
Lachlan Bird, phone +61 407 885 209
Email: lachlan.bird@bayer.com