By Trish Svoboda

Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) announced an agreement with SpaceX to provide satellite communications (SATCOM) service to farmers. Using the Starlink network, this solution will help farmers with rural connectivity challenges to leverage precision agriculture technologies. This partnership, a first in the industry, will enable John Deere customers to be more productive in their operations as they continue to provide food, fuel, and fiber for their communities and a growing population.

“The value of connectivity to farmers is broader than any single task or action. Connectivity unlocks vast opportunities that were previously limited or unavailable,” said Aaron Wetzel, Vice President of Production and Precision Ag Production Systems at John Deere, as stated in a news release on John Deere’s website.

The SATCOM solution will connect machines, both new and existing, through satellite internet service and ruggedized satellite terminals. This will enable technologies such as autonomy, real-time data sharing, remote diagnostics, self-repair solutions, and machine-to-machine communication, to aid farmers to work efficiently while minimizing downtime.

The SATCOM solution will initially have a limited release in the United States and Brazil, beginning in the second half of 2024.