VIDEO MEDIATED SOCIAL NETWORKING: A CASE OF HOW THIS OCCURRED IN THE AUSTRALIAN SUGAR INDUSTRY

In this case study, technical and scientific agents from Bundaberg, farmers from the Burdekin, and an engineering company from Mackay shared information online and off-line to create a solution to an industry wide problem with the implementation of the New Farming System (NFS). The problem arose because switching to controlled traffic and thus wider row spacing means the harvester elevator has to be extended to reach the haul-outs. This creates extra weight on that side and causes the harvester to lean and the base cutter to dig into the soil and damage the ratoon. Online video and discussion forums played a key role in the ‘referencing’ that took place between these individuals. The result was the development of an automatic self-levelling system for wheeled harvesters, which has been used successfully for one season. The case study indicates that the Internet and online service delivery technologies could have a significant impact on the adoption of innovation in agriculture. Further work could examine the effectiveness of gathering and communicating evidence of adoption using online video and discussion forums as a technology transfer strategy.