Elon Musk teams up with tractor giant to change agribusiness in Brazil, says website

Photo: Reproduction.

As the world advances in modernization, many regions, especially rural ones, face challenges due to a lack of connectivity. These areas are often excluded from technological advances. However, significant change is on the horizon with an innovative partnership between billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX and John Deere, one of the largest agricultural machinery companies in the world. This new agreement promises to be a milestone for technological advancement in the field, especially for Brazilian agribusiness. The information is from the Compre Rural website.

The strategic partnership between these two giants aims to increase efficiency in agriculture, focusing mainly on rural areas with limited internet access. This will be possible through the integration of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service with agricultural machinery produced by John Deere, transforming the way agriculture is conducted in remote locations.

About SpaceX’s partnership with John Deere
The Deere Company, known as John Deere, recently announced a formal partnership with SpaceX, a company led by Elon Musk, with the aim of providing satellite connectivity services (SATCOM) for the agricultural sector.

Using the Starlink network, a reference in the market, farmers who face connectivity problems in rural areas will be able to fully access precision agriculture technologies.

This agreement will enable John Deere customers to increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their agricultural activities, while continuing to supply their communities and the world with food, fuel and fiber, contributing to the sustenance of an expanding global population.

Starlink, Musk’s business known for its ability to provide high-speed internet in remote locations, will be a big game changer for farmers.

“The value of connectivity to farmers is more far-reaching than any individual action ever taken. Connectivity unlocks enormous opportunities that were previously limited or unavailable,” said Aaron Wetzel, vice president of production systems and precision agriculture at John Deere.

“For example, throughout the year, farmers need to complete tasks in very short windows of time. This dynamic requires the execution of extremely precise production steps, in parallel with the coordination between machines and the management of their performance. Each of these areas is improved by connectivity, which makes the entire operation more efficient, effective and profitable”, he adds.

What will be the scope of this alliance?
Elon Musk’s ambitious plans, which currently have around 5,300 satellites in orbit and plan to expand to 42,000, have SpaceX continually seeking new customers around the world. In this scenario, its integration into John Deere tractors will be particularly relevant in the USA and Brazil, where a significant part of rural areas face low internet access.

In the United States, approximately 30% of these areas have limited internet access, while in Brazil this number reaches more than 70%, highlighting the change that this partnership will bring to Brazilian agribusiness.

Thus, this agreement will benefit hundreds of farmers. While prices for the antennas and software services for Starlink connectivity have not yet been determined, this collaboration will mark a new era for Musk’s company.

About the SATCOM solution and the launch of SpaceX’s partnership with John Deere in Brazil
The SATCOM solution will promote the connection of new and already in-use agricultural equipment through satellite internet services and robust terminals. This technology will enable features such as autonomy, real-time data sharing, remote diagnostics, advanced technical support and communication between machines, improving farmers’ efficiency and productive time.

Jahmy Hindman, senior vice president and CTO of John Deere, said: “By implementing satellite connectivity across the agricultural sector in large numbers,

At scale, we enable farmers with cell coverage limitations to extract maximum value from connections across their operations. The SATCOM solution enhances John Deere’s existing technologies and enables the full use of precision agricultural technologies along with future innovations.”

John Deere will implement the SATCOM solution using SpaceX’s Starlink low-orbit satellite network. John Deere dealers will install Starlink terminals on compatible machines, which have been tested to withstand harsh agricultural conditions, along with a JDLink™ 4G LTE modem to connect the machines to the John Deere Operations Center™.

The launch of the SATCOM solution will initially be restricted to the United States and Brazil, starting in the second half of 2024. And are you prepared for the future of Brazilian agribusiness?

John Deere Invests more than R$700 Million in the Catalão Factory
The multinational announced this Monday (22) an investment of more than R$700 million in its factory in Catalão, Goiás. The expansion aims to increase the existing infrastructure to meet the growing demand for food globally, in addition to nationalizing the production system See & Spray™ smart spray system.

The director of the John Deere factory in Catalão, Edison Drescher, explained that the expansion will involve the addition of more than 20 thousand square meters to the existing 69 thousand square meters. “To support the company’s growth in Brazil, this investment should generate around 400 new jobs over the next five years, 100 direct and 300 indirect,” said Drescher.

The investment will also allow John Deere to begin producing the See & Spray system in Brazil. The technology uses computer vision, artificial intelligence and machine learning to apply herbicides only to the areas needed. During tests carried out in Brazil, the See & Spray Select system proved a reduction of up to 97% in the use of non-residual herbicides, contributing to the sustainability of agricultural production and generating savings for producers.