JOHN MAY WILL TALK ABOUT WHY THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE WORLD ARE GREATEST IN AGRICULTURE.
When John Deere first debuted at the 2019 Consumer Electronic Show (CES), many were perplexed as to why the agricultural company would exhibit at the world’s largest technology show. As Deere continues to bring technology into its DNA, it became clear that this strategic move was an important step in not only advocating for farmers, but also highlighting how the company is developing technology with a purpose.
At CES 2020, Doug Sauder, director of applied intelligence for John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group, said: “It allows us to educate the technology industry because most people in urban settings are not connected to the source of their food and don’t necessarily appreciate the role that technology plays in agriculture to solve some of the serious problems we face.”
SHOWCASING INNOVATION IN AGRICULTURE
Every year at CES, Deere has emphasized the importance of innovation in agriculture from planting to harvest.
In its first year, the company focused on harvest and combine technology. It talked about tools like Combine Advisor and how sensors and other features make the combine smarter so the grain doesn’t get left behind.
In 2020, Deere talked about smart spraying and how Blue River See & Spray technology, with its cameras and artificial intelligence, will support enterprise-level management.
Since CES went virtual in 2021, John Deere invited 50 technology reporters to visit the farm through a hands-on experiment and virtual reality. Each reporter was sent corn seed, soybean seed, cotton seed, soil and planting instructions. The idea was to show him or her what it was like to grow a plant. Now imagine if you were a farmer doing that with millions of seeds on thousands of acres.
In addition, computer modeling provided a unique glimpse into how crops are planted and what technology is integrated into the machine. Wearing virtual reality goggles, reporters were taken to the soil pit to learn about the importance of even spacing and sowing depth.
Jami Hindman, the company’s first CTO, was also introduced at the 2021 event. As Hindman explains, his new role has two different dimensions.
“The first is to identify technology that we can implement that will solve customer problems to make him or her more profitable and sustainable. The second part of my role is to accelerate the implementation of that technology into the John Deere product portfolio so that it reaches customers in a timely manner and impacts their business as quickly as possible,” Hindman told Successful Farming.
Deere introduced the fully autonomous 8R tractor in 2022. “The 8R autonomous tractor does what was previously thought impossible,” said Julian Sanchez, director of new technology for John Deere.
As the company prepares for CES 2023, it’s marking another milestone for agriculture. For the first time in CES history, the head of an agricultural technology company will be the keynote speaker on the main stage. John Deere Chairman and CEO John May will talk about how commitment and advances in technology are feeding the world’s growing population.
“The opportunity for technology and sustainability to positively impact the world is greatest in agriculture, where farmers continue to be challenged to feed our growing population,” May said. “John Deere is focused on developing technology to make our customers more efficient and sustainable. The work they do touches everyone, and we’re honored to have the opportunity to help tell their story on the main stage.”
ABOUT CES EXHIBITION.
The first CES was launched in 1967, with 250 exhibitors and 17,500 attendees in New York City. Since then, the show has grown more than tenfold. It now covers both traditional and non-traditional technology industries.
CES 2023 , to be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 5 to 8, is the world’s largest technology event, showcasing companies producing consumer technology equipment, content, technology delivery systems and more.
