Entries must meet the criteria of having a practical, on-farm application, be based on an original idea of the entrant and not be in full-scale production at the time entry. Last year’s inaugural entries ranged from a hand tool to a slip-on fencing tray and automated bale feeder from farmers in north east Victoria, southern NSW and the NSW southern tablelands.

The 2016 winners were Pat and Margaret Daniher, of Girral, with the remote controlled Daniher Belt Feeder, an easy solution to feeding out fodder off the back of a ute. HMFD chief executive officer Belinda Anderson said the decision to renew the farm innovation concept was made after inventors were left disappointed with the demise of the NSW Farm Inventor of the Year Awards in 2015.

A perennial favourite with the Henty Machinery Field Days visitors, the awards provided the launching pad for scores of budding entrepreneurs and enterprising visionaries.

Mrs Anderson said Agri-Innovators was aimed at tertiary and university students, farmers, backyard tinkerers and innovators.

“Entries can be any agribusiness invention, ranging from a mobile phone app or computer software program to the largest tillage machinery,’’ she said.

For entry forms, contact the HMFD office on (02) 6929 3305.