Ag machinery leader John Deere is gearing up to unveil the latest iteration of its digital farming tools, enhancing its precision agriculture technology with the introduction of a new scouting feature. This advancement, known as See & Scout, is designed to leverage the capabilities of the existing See & Spray system.

Key Features of See & Scout

The See & Scout feature will utilize the cameras integrated into the sprayers from the See & Spray setup to collect valuable field data. This includes generating insights such as weed pressure maps, enabling farmers to assess their fields even when the machine is not actively engaged in precision spraying. According to Josh Ladd, marketing manager for application equipment at John Deere, this feature is designed to provide significant insights into field conditions.

In addition to weed pressure mapping, See & Scout will also produce stand count maps, which show the number of emerged plants, starting with corn. The generation of applied and canopy maps will continue through the See & Spray system. Ladd highlighted that while the focus will initially be on corn, the technology has expansive potential for other crops in the future.

Availability and Expansion Plans

See & Scout will be available for all Generation 1 See & Spray systems, as well as for model year 2027 sprayers, with various premium and ultimate plans. Ladd emphasized that while See & Scout is an extension of the See & Spray umbrella, it fundamentally shifts the focus towards data documentation and insights using the comprehensive camera system embedded in the machines, which will be accessible through a customer’s Operation Center at no extra cost.

John Deere’s Digital Farming Strategy

John Deere has continually upgraded its See & Spray technology and aims to enhance its offerings further by the upcoming MY27 selling season. Gen 2 sprayers, featuring these pertinent upgrades, are expected to be operational on farms later this year, with many arriving in the following year. At the Commodity Classic event, John Deere announced plans to broaden the See & Spray technology’s compatibility to include more crops such as barley, canola, and wheat for the 2027 season, with Gen 1 systems receiving similar updates.

Additionally, recent changes have been made regarding how fallow acres—land left unseeded—are billed under the See & Spray system. Historically, this cost $1 per acre; however, starting April 1, farmers can now utilize their machines for fallow acres without incurring additional costs.

These enhancements reflect John Deere’s broader digital farming strategy, which has been enriched by their acquisition of aerial imaging company Sentera last year. The company is actively collaborating with its dealer network to ensure farmers are fully informed about the extensive range of digital and precision agriculture solutions available to them. Ladd noted, “We still have work to do on how we communicate to our dealer channel and to our customers out there about the full portfolio story.”