By
The world-renowned agricultural tech behemoth, John Deere, was founded on the idea of innovation.
Their original steel-bladed plow from 1837 revolutionized American farming, and it played no small part in the Midwestern expansion that shaped the United States over the last 150 years.
As the company has moved away from the original wood and steel plow design toward complex machinery, it continues to remain at the cutting edge of the agricultural industry with no signs of slowing down.
Over its 180 year history, John Deere has expanded from farming and agricultural specialties into turf, construction, forestry, engine parts, technology and even financial services.
Through their Moline Technology and Innovation Center in Illinois, John Deere has fostered a corporate culture that values tradition while fully embracing modernization and the potential of emerging trends.
Efficiency through Smart Targeting
Farming is all about maximizing yield and minimizing cost. The more viable product a farmer has, the more they can sell. It seems fairly simple, but with scaling comes increased complexity.
A home farmer can grow some tomatoes, and if they lose a few here or there from squirrels eating the fruit or a weed strangling the plant, it’s not a big deal.
For a professional farmer with thousands of acres, that pest problem or weed issue could be the difference between profitability and bankruptcy. The margin of error is that low.
Enter John Deere and their recently acquired startup Blue River Technology.
Blue River specializes in targeted weed killing driven by machine learning and computer vision. Their “see and spray” system seeks out weeds and sprays them without spraying the crops. In addition to efficiency, this also opens the possibility for more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices because it allows farmers to use organic herbicides that might otherwise negatively affect the crop.
Increasing GPS Accuracy to Increase Crop Yield
When you think of hyper-accurate GPS systems, the agriculture industry might not be the first thing that comes to mind. John Deere is slowly changing that perception.
John Deere proves that the best way to stay ahead of the curve is to encourage innovation at every level of a company. Click To TweetThe company’s dual-band GPS system is one of the most accurate systems in the world. It helps farmers position their crops better on the field, which means they can optimize their space and increase their yield. The technology can also lead to better planting depths and harvesting, both of which can increase crop yield and reduce waste.
Agriculture is a science. The more accurate John Deere can make their tools, the more successful they can make farmers who use their products.
Using Mobile to Transform How we Farm
In May 2018, John Deere announced their new Bale Mobile app.
The app helps hay farmers better track information about their crops – from more accurate yield tracking and harvest efficiency to identifying bale characteristics that could help improve the product’s final quality.
This represents a growing mobile trend that is transforming how farmers run their businesses.
Until recently, these types of quality control and tracking features would only be available from desktop applications. While such programs were innovative in their own right, the added flexibility and immediacy of mobile systems are more conducive to the farming lifestyle.
As younger, more tech-savvy farmers slowly take over the industry, IoT solutions and services have become more popular across the board. Having a tablet in every tractor means a more connected and accurate workforce that will ultimately maximize yield, and in turn, earnings.
The Future of AgTech
By evolving from a steel and engine industrial machinery company to one that embraces modern innovations like AI, mobile computing and IoT, John Deere illustrates what it takes to remain a Fortune 500 company in the face of an ever-shifting tech landscape.
Innovation at the enterprise level can sometimes be difficult. However, one of the best ways to stay ahead of the curve is to encourage innovation at every level of a company.
As John Deere has demonstrated with the work produced by their Moline Tech and Innovation Center and some keen acquisitions, a solid foundation of innovation can give a company the legs they need to last.
See other ways technology is bringing the agriculture industry into the future
