WA farmer George Gibson was part of a group of emerging grain industry leaders who visited John Deere as part of the Innovation Generation. Photo: John Deere
SOME of the grain industry’s brightest emerging leaders have been the first group of farmers and agricultural professionals to see John Deere’s new S7 Series Combine and C Series Air Cart on Australian soil.
Visiting the company’s Australia and New Zealand headquarters in Crestmead, Ql, as part of the GrainGrowers Innovation Generation Conference 2024, the group of 29 people took part in an interactive experience featuring equipment and workshops on the value of technology in production of cereals.
John Deere precision and marketing manager Max Cusack said representatives from the major
the country’s wheat-producing states were present.
“The new iteration of the iconic S7 Series Estate and the C Series airframe were
two big announcements for us made earlier this year and we were delighted to share the first
glimpse of these machines with those that will shape Australian grain production in
the future”, said Mr. Cusack.
“Working collaboratively with industry, including farmers and young professionals, to
we understand their needs – and then meet those needs with the innovation and technology that we are
development or already have them built into our devices – it’s at the heart of what we do to help
we make our customers the most productive and sustainable in the world.
“Innovation Generation is a wonderful event and I have been a part of it several times
since first attending eight years ago as a John Deere graduate.
“Connecting with the event and the delegates from all over the country who travel to be a part of it is a great way for us to not only support the industry, but also listen and learn.”
Hot topics of AI and automation
For many of the Innovation Generation visitors, it was technology and artificial intelligence
were more than eager to discuss with the John Deere team.
George Gibson, who manages a farm near the Arthur River in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt, said
achieving optimal operational efficiency was at the forefront of all decision-making.
Generation Innovation delegates inspect the new S Series combine at John Deere’s Australian headquarters in Crestmead. Photo: John Deere
“For example, the new boom spray that we saw today, with cameras and See & Spray Select, is something that makes me very excited about the technology that is coming into the country,” Mr Gibson said.
“Operational efficiency is a massive thing for us within our group, so having that technology available and seeing John Deere innovate makes us innovate as well.”
ABOUT Ryan Greavesa fourth-generation farmer also from WA’s Wheatbelt, it was automation and what it meant for his workforce requirements that caught his eye.
“Being able to hire people who really have no farming experience and put them in one
car that is worth a lot of money, and then trust it because the car is doing a lot
work – that’s what excites me,” Mr Greaves said.
Cootamundra, NSW, agronomist Angus Malmo said he was discovering “one percent” ways to increase efficiency and comparing notes with peers where he wanted to focus.
“Being an agronomist, I’m really trying to think about what’s going on with artificial intelligence and where that puts me in the future,” said Mr. Malmo.
“Networking and meeting people from all over the country is also quite exciting. our
the production is probably the same, but also completely different.”
Source: John Deere