Deere Announces 2020 Startup Collaborator Program Companies

Jan 27, 2020

Deere & Company announced the companies that will be part of the 2020 cohort of the Startup Collaborator program in its Intelligent Solutions Group. This program launched last year to enhance and deepen collaborative relationships with startup companies whose technology could add value for John Deere customers.

“The first year of the John Deere Startup Collaborator program showed us and the startups involved the tremendous mutual value of working closely together,” said Julian Sanchez, director of strategy and business development at Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group. “We’re excited to continue building on the program’s success.”

Deere is pleased to welcome into the Startup Collaborator four leading startups working to transform agriculture:

DataFarm – A Brazilian company building digital tools to recommend climate-smart agricultural practices to optimize farmers’ return on investment
FaunaPhotonics – A company from Denmark building technology for real-time pest detection to ensure sustainable crop management and improve tools for pest control
Fieldin – An Israeli company working on data management tools for specialty crops
EarthSense – A company from Champaign, IL building novel sensing methods to improve in-field data collection

The Startup Collaborator provides flexibility for Deere and startups to test innovative technologies with customers and dealers without a more formal business relationship. Startups also gain affiliation with and mentoring from a world-class leader in precision agriculture.

Source : John Deere

Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.