John Deere’s Precision Ag Tech: Tractors That Think

Farming looks a lot different today thanks to John Deere’s precision ag tech. Their latest 8R tractors are semi-autonomous, using GPS, computer vision, and machine learning to optimize planting and harvesting. Iowa corn farmer Nate Blevins describes the system as "a second brain." The tractor collects data on soil moisture, crop health, and yield forecasts, making adjustments in real-time. This allows Nate to reduce water usage by 20% and fertilizer use by nearly 30% compared to five years ago. He controls most of it from a tablet in his pickup truck. John Deere’s tech helps small farms compete in a challenging economy, increasing yield while lowering costs and environmental impact. As Nate puts it, "I’m still farming, but smarter." In the broader Midwest, over 10,000 farms now use some level of automation—creating a data-rich agriculture ecosystem.