What They’re Not Telling You: The Hidden Costs of Farm Tech

Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Buying Technology for Your Farm — with Real-World Examples

Every farm tech provider says the same thing: “We’ll improve your productivity, reduce costs, and make your life easier.” But what they don’t tell you is what happens after the sale — the hidden costs, the support gaps, the systems that don’t fit your farm, and the tech that ends up gathering dust.

If you're considering new technology for your farm, here are 10 essential questions to ask — with real-world examples of where things go right... and very wrong.

1. Who owns the data?

Example: A vineyard in Marlborough installed imported weather stations, only to find they couldn’t export their historical data without paying extra. When they considered switching platforms, they were told the data “couldn’t be transferred.”

Ask: Is the data mine, and can I export or move it whenever I want?

2. What are the ongoing costs?

Example: A dairy farm in Southland bought soil sensors for $200 each. What wasn’t made clear? A $65/month subscription per sensor. That added up to thousands a year, just to view basic data.

Ask: Is there a monthly fee, subscription, or renewal cost? What happens if I stop paying?

3. Can this system integrate with others?

Example: A mixed-use farm near Ashburton installed tank level monitors from one supplier and weather monitoring from another. But the two systems couldn’t talk to each other — meaning two apps, two dashboards, and twice the headaches.

Ask: Will this technology integrate with other brands, platforms, or existing systems on my farm?

4. Is this tech appropriate for my type of farm?

Example: A sheep and beef farmer was sold a crop-focused platform that tracked soil nitrogen, not relevant to his hill country paddocks. He paid for two years before realising he wasn’t getting any real value.

Ask: Do you have experience with farms like mine? Can I see real-world examples or case studies?

5. What support do I get after purchase?

Example: A Canterbury grower bought an international monitoring system. When the sensor stopped sending data, the support team was based in Europe, with a 2-day email turnaround and no weekend help.

Ask: What does support look like? Is there local help if something goes wrong?

6. Is the hardware reliable in New Zealand conditions?

Example: A farm in Central Otago installed a cheap weather station from overseas. It froze up after one harsh frost — and the warranty didn’t cover “climate-related damage.”

Ask: Has this been tested locally? How long is the warranty?

7. Do I actually need this?

Example: A small market garden in Nelson bought an advanced irrigation automation system. It looked impressive — but the owner ended up manually watering because the system was more effort than benefit.

Ask yourself: What problem am I trying to solve, and will this technology clearly help with that?

8. Will I be able to use it easily?

Example: A farmer in North Canterbury installed a high-end sensor network but never got past the login page on the app. Without training or easy support, the tech sat idle within weeks.

Ask: Can I try a demo? Is there training or help setting it up? What happens if I’m not tech-savvy?

9. How scalable is it?

Example: A dairy farm in Waikato wanted to expand monitoring across new paddocks, but their system only allowed four sensors per gateway. Scaling up meant buying an entirely new backend system.

Ask: Can I add more sensors or features later without starting from scratch?

10. Am I getting independent advice?

Example: A farmer was shown a side-by-side “comparison” chart by a tech rep, but later found out the rep worked for the company that made the “recommended” product. It wasn’t an honest comparison.

Ask: Is the person recommending this technology working for the supplier, or are they offering unbiased advice based on my needs?

The Ziv Difference

At Ziv, we don’t push products. We guide decisions.

We’re independent farm technology advisors. That means we walk the land with you, understand your goals, and recommend the right tools, not the ones that pay us commission.

Whether you’re setting up your first soil sensor or reviewing your whole system, we’re here to help you make smart, future-proof decisions for your farm.