Safe Ag Systems has reached a major milestone. We sat down with Co-Founder and CEO Katy Landt to reflect on how it all began, what’s shaped our work with Australian agriculture, and where we’re headed next.
“I remember standing in a waiting room, about to walk into a pitch for $500,000 in government funding. We’d made it to the final round, but in that moment, my heart was in my throat.
I was questioning everything. Was I good enough to be a founder? Could I clearly explain the problem we were trying solve? Would the government really see this as money well spent in an industry that had been left to manage safety largely on its own for so long?
What changed everything was realising that everyone in that room genuinely wanted agriculture to be safer. They didn’t accept the fatality statistics at face value. They pushed hard on the why.
Why would this tool actually change behaviour? Why would it make a difference?
That forced me to show that Safe Ag Systems wasn’t about box-ticking or compliance for compliance’s sake. It was about education, culture, and embedding safety into everyday work over time.
That moment was pivotal. Practically, the funding allowed us to strengthen our MVP and build a team. Personally, it validated that this approach was right for agriculture and that serious people believed it was worth backing.”
“The shift has been enormous.
While farming is still often family-owned, it's now unquestionably run as a professional business. There’s a growing recognition that if a farm isn’t structured and well-managed, it simply won’t survive.
A big driver has been generational change. More sons and daughters are leaving the farm to gain education and experience, then returning with new perspectives, skills, and expectations. Agriculture is also attracting people from diverse professional backgrounds, not just those who grew up on farms.
From a safety and compliance perspective, regulation has intensified. Expectations are higher, the red tape is thicker, and there’s no sign of that easing. While the “big stick” approach can feel counterintuitive, it has driven real change. Particularly in larger organisations, where safety is now both a moral responsibility and a competitive advantage for attracting talent.
At the same time, digital adoption has accelerated rapidly. Farmers are actively searching for tools to improve efficiency and manage compliance. Sometimes they even force ill-fitting systems into their businesses because they genuinely want to do better.
If I had to summarise the shift in one sentence, Farming is no longer just a way of life; It’s a regulated, scrutinised, professional business, and that creates both pressure and opportunity.”
“What surprised me most was how quickly Safe Ag Systems moved beyond being seen as just a compliance tool.
We expected adoption to be driven by regulatory need. What we didn’t anticipate was how much operational efficiency the platform would unlock.
Initially, many clients viewed safety as an extra layer of effort. But once Safe Ag Systems became embedded into daily workflows, it replaced clunky, manual systems that had been holding businesses back for years.
Tasks that were once written on whiteboards, or managed through conversations, could now be handled digitally, faster, clearer and more consistently. Safety elements like pre-starts and risk assessments became naturally attached to work that mattered most.
That shift opened doors to farms and businesses we assumed already had safety “sorted.” Even large corporations with existing systems in place chose Safe Ag Systems because it was built specifically for agriculture. It proved that deeply understanding how agri-businesses actually operate is a competitive advantage, and it’s comforting to hear ‘my workers love it, and use it!’
What started as a safety platform has evolved into a broader operational tool for farms. That wasn’t the original vision but it’s now central to our future.”
“I’m most proud of sticking with it. Imposter syndrome has been a constant companion. There were many moments of questioning whether we were doing things the right way, whether we belonged in the SaaS landscape, or whether agriculture would adopt this approach at all. I always felt we were ahead of the industry's adoption curve.
What I’m proud of is coming back from those moments with more clarity, confidence, and ambition, rather than retreating.
I’m also incredibly proud of our team. We still have founding team members nearly ten years later. People who were patient, willing to learn together, make mistakes, and trust the journey as we figured things out.
Today, Safe Ag Systems is seen as a credible industry contributor. People actively seek out our knowledge, not just our software.
On a personal level, mentoring other founders and helping them avoid some of the mistakes we made feels like a meaningful extension of the journey.”
“We work across more than 22 commodities, from sole operators to multinational organisations. But the impact always comes down to one person, on the ground, doing a task and choosing to do it safely.
The risks don’t exist in boardrooms. They exist in everyday moments when someone is tired, distracted, or on autopilot. Safe Ag Systems works because it’s built for the worker, not just the business.
One moment that stayed with me was a worker saying they needed only three apps to run the farm, and Safe Ag Systems was one of them. That was confirmation that we weren’t adding complexity; we were simplifying work, creating clarity, and supporting safer decisions.”
“As we grow, I hope we never lose our responsiveness to our clients. That feedback loop, thousands of users telling us what they need, is one of our greatest strengths. We are working hard on improving our response times.
Culturally, I hope we never lose what we call “having GAS”. Genuinely caring about what we do and why it matters. That passion and accountability has to remain non-negotiable.
I also hope we stay true to agriculture. There’s constant pressure to expand into other industries, but agriculture needs bespoke, deeply understood solutions. That focus is core to who we are.
Most importantly, I want people to feel heard and supported. When someone interacts with Safe Ag Systems, they should feel like they’re dealing with real people who understand agriculture, understand safety, and can actually help them. That trust matters.”
“We joke about world domination. And there is a global story unfolding with strong footprints in the UK, New Zealand, and Canada. But our near-term focus is product refinement.
We know what works. Now it’s about polishing, improving usability, and staying ahead of emerging technologies that can make the platform easier to adopt and use every day.
The priority is listening closely to our clients and responding quickly. The next phase is about strengthening what we’ve built, staying ahead of the curve, and continuing to deliver something genuinely fit for purpose for agriculture.”
Topics: Farm Management Software
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