The Jetsons, the animated sitcom set in the year 2062, really set the stage for some of today’s technology- smartwatches, tablets, flat screen TVs, drones, etc. The Jetsons didn’t really focus on farm life, but farm kids were still inspired to think about the future of the farm. Maybe harvesting corn via flying spaceships will become reality by 2062, but for now, autonomous tractors will have to do.
“We’ve all been talking about this ever since we were kids,” says Matt Olson, John Deere’s precision ag go-to-market manager, talking about their new autonomous tractor that was unveiled at the beginning of 2022 at the Consumer Electronics Show.
“We made this decision because of customers pulling us in this direction saying that this labor issue is serious and that they need support that technology can help solve. But also, just helping farmers understand, ‘I could be using my time elsewhere more beneficially.’”
Olson says those autonomous tractors will be available soon, but in the meantime, the John Deere equipment currently in the field is able to collect mountains of data that farmers can use to increase yield and profitability.
Often times, farmers can get bogged down in all the data that’s captured. Olson encourages you to tell yourself, “I’m a farmer. I want the outcome. I may not have the time or some of the experience around data analysis, but the industry is full of experts that have that knowledge. And the farmer is in control of that data. And they can share that data with whoever they choose and share only what they need that person to receive, to be able to bring those insights back to them. So, the key thing I would challenge farmers to think about is to say, ‘how can I get more from my data? And it’s not all on my shoulders alone.’ The industry is there, and John Deere dealers are there to support them as well.”
Learn more at deere.com.
