How an Aussie legal quirk is holding back NZ’s fastest growing startup
Virtual fencing is creating a two-tier cattle economy, where smartwatch-wearing cows on one side of a border enjoy the future while neighbours stay analog.
Imagine fitting your cattle with what amounts to a smartwatch for cows — a device that not only tracks their health but lets you herd them via your phone. Now imagine you can manage half your herd this way, but not the other half, because they’re standing on the wrong side of a state border.
It’s a modern twist on “the grass is greener” — and the reality for at least one Australian farmer whose property straddles Queensland and New South Wales.
New Zealand start-up Halter is the fastest growing company in the country, achieving unicorn status with a $1.55 billion valuation. But its plans to grow across the Tasman have hit an unusual hurdle — its virtual fencing technology is illegal in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
“Farmers love it. It’s a game changer for them,” says Brent Thomas, director of strategic relations Australia. “It’s a game changer because it allows them to run more productive farms.”
