In the morning, participants gained insights into the latest developments in Earth observation and digitalization in agriculture. The event began with an overview of European satellite projects for agricultural applications, presented by ESA Satellite Mission Director Dr. Nicolaus Hanowski.
Following this, the SatGrass project managers , Dr. Andreas Schaumberger and DI Andreas Klingler from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, presented the scientific basis and practical implementation of the SatGrass project. The highlight of the event was the official presentation of the new SatGrass app, which will offer farmers precise decision support for grassland management. The SatGrass application uses high-resolution satellite data from the European Sentinel missions, combined with weather data and long-term research data from Austrian grassland regions. This allows farms to determine the optimal cutting time, estimate yields, and better plan forage quality – directly on their smartphone or PC.
Project managers Schaumberger and Klingler emphasized the practical benefits of the development: “With SatGrass, we have succeeded in transforming a scientific research project into a practical digital tool for agriculture. What began as an idea to use satellites to observe growth on meadows has developed into a powerful system that can estimate yield and forage quality in real time.”
also Minister Norbert Totschnig emphasized the importance of such applications in his contribution on the digitalization of agriculture: “Digital innovations are a key building block for the competitiveness of our family farms. With the new SatGrass app, farmers can improve forage quality and simultaneously achieve higher yields by having the optimal cutting time for harvesting calculated. This is digitalization that directly impacts the farm, simplifies work, and conserves resources. However, digitalization must not be an end in itself. Our goal is to provide farmers with the right digital tools to further develop their farms for the future. We must include all sectors and federal states in this process. Affordability is also crucial – digital solutions must be accessible to small and medium-sized farms.” The importance of practical digital tools in agriculture was underscored in the contributions of Chamber of Agriculture President Andreas Steinegger and Markus Schwaiger from the Machinery Ring.
In addition to the SatGrass app, a total of 14 other digital innovations presented at the conference. These ranged from satellite- and AI-supported yield monitoring and precision steering systems in grassland to sensor solutions in barns that automatically monitor animal health, feeding, and barn climate. Companies, research institutions, and partners of the Innovation Farm presented their developments in technical presentations and at poster sessions.
Direktor Dr. Johann Gasteiner and of Research Dr. Andreas Steinwidder emphasized the role of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein as a bridge between science and practice: Research must not only develop new technologies, but also translate them into concrete applications in collaboration with agriculture, advisory services, and policymakers. Particularly in the grassland sector, which, at approximately 1.3 million hectares, comprises about half of Austria's agricultural land and forms the basis for more than 50,000 cattle farms and over 26,000 sheep and goat farms, digital technologies open up new possibilities for efficiency, sustainability, and quality assurance.
The large international participation, the wide range of innovations, and the intensive discussions between research, practice, and politics made the conference an important impetus for the digital development of Austrian grassland and livestock farming. The new SatGrass app was presented as a concrete tool demonstrating how modern research can be directly applied to farms.
Further information about the SatGrass app and the free online introductory course can be found here
Access link to SatGrass registration
Photos from the event
Press kit
Team
Manuel Adelwöhrer
Agricultural and Environmental Informatics