Sassafras farmer Matthew Young tests online knowledge exchange

A Sassafras farmer has been lending a hand in the set up of a national farming knowledge-sharing website.

Matthew Young from Elphin Grove Farm has joined the Farmer eXchange project, which is a collaborative website where farmers can share their knowledge and best practice on Australian agriculture.

The site, www.farmtable.com.au, and accompanying app received $168,700 funding from the Farming Together program and launches in 2018.

As a member of the project Farmer Advisory Committee, Mr Young has been offering feedback on the website content and design, while also sharing his own knowledge on horticultural and livestock farming.

“If you want to find something out you’d usually Google it, but trying to get local answers can be difficult,” Mr Young said.

“Getting information from a farmer for a farmer in a way you can understand is much better,” he said.

The site and app also give those asking the questions the opportunity to speak directly with the farmer who answered.

“You can post a question and get answers. It’s part of a streamlined information process so they can find information that’s relevant to them,” Mr Young said.

Founder Airlie Trescowthick said the Farmer eXchange app was the first of its kind.

“There’s a giant gap in knowledge-sharing; farmers simply didn’t have an easy, accessible way to ask questions, or seek crowdfund-sourcing advice,” Ms Trescowthick said.