During the past week, I had the opportunity to attend John Deere’s latest product launch event at its Harvester Works facility in Moline, Ill. The manufacturer introduced several new pieces of farm machinery and technology, with an overarching theme of integrated functionality.

Dean Sponheim, who farms with his son, Josh, near Nora Springs, Iowa, is accustomed to innovating, despite being a relatively late adopter of precision farming practices.  

The system enables customers to use applications, including AutoTrac, documentation and section control, in a portable display that has the latest internal components, design and user interface.

New technology, Combine Advisor incorporates seven technologies to help operators set, optimize and automate the combine for the most effective harvesting performance based on their crop and field conditions.

One of the more interesting elements of John Deere’s planned acquisition of Precision Planting from parent company Monsanto, involved the data collection capabilities provided by the hardware. The cancellation of the deal included a digital collaboration agreement between Deere and the Climate Corp., which would have allowed for sharing of agronomic data between Deere’s Operations Center and Climate’s FieldView platform.

As the dust settles on the dissolution of John Deere’s planned acquisition of Precision Planting, there is plenty of speculation and rumors on who will emerge as the next viable buyer.

Dealers voice both disappointment and relief to the termination of Deere's planned acquisition of Precision Planting and discuss the impact the outcome could have on their businesses going forward.

Two agreements related to Deere’s purchase of Precision Planting will also be terminated, including the digital collaboration agreement between Deere and The Climate Corp., a division of Monsanto. Also ending is an agreement that would have allowed Ag Leader to expand access to and distribution of certain Precision Planting products and technologies.