Deere and Company has recently established a joint venture with GUSS Automation to address the challenges facing orchard and vineyard operators. GUSS Automation focuses on the development of semi-autonomous orchard and vineyard sprayers. Together, the California-based company and John Deere will collaborate to further product development and innovation to meet customer needs.
GUSS, founded in 2018, has 35 full-time employees. Under the agreement, the company will retain its employees, trademark, and brand while operating at its current location. As a result, there is expected to be little change in daily operations.
"As demand for high-value crops grows, we see significant opportunities to help growers be more productive while addressing the challenges of increasing labor costs and finding skilled labor to operate equipment," said Chris Davison, director of small tractor and HVC production systems at John Deere. "The GUSS team has a deep understanding of the high-value crop production system, as well as strong relationships with customers and a proven track record of deploying innovative technology."
This level of innovation is seen in multiple GUSS sprayers, which can be remotely supervised by a single operator. This eliminates the need for additional resources, reducing labor costs and boosting overall productivity. These machines are also designed to help operators control application rates and sprayer speeds across all fields. Further, they can work in variable terrain and come with adjustable software parameters.
"Deere and GUSS are both committed to investing in innovation and technology to help farmers be more productive and profitable while growing more food using fewer resources," Davison added.
More information about the agricultural equipment offerings from John Deere can be found by speaking to your local dealer or visiting www.JohnDeere.com.