John Deere Introduces Hands-Free Baling Solution to Improve Productivity and Reduce Operator Workload

Sep 10, 2026

John Deere (NYSE: DE) announced today the addition of Hands-Free Baling to its baling solutions. This integrated automation system is designed to make baling cornstalks and straw easier and more consistent while also helping farmers and ranchers feel more confident that the job will get done quickly and correctly, no matter who is operating the baler.

"The hands-free baling technology combines John Deere's legacy guidance feature, AutoTrac^™, with our innovative Weave Automation round baler feature, creating a solution that was built shoulder-to-shoulder with our customers. It makes a repetitive baling job easier and more efficient," said Kaylene Ballesteros, marketing manager for hay and forage equipment at John Deere. "By automating the baling process, we're helping operators simplify their job and reduce the opportunity for error."

Designed with simplicity in mind, Hands-Free Baling is one seamless solution that gives farmers and ranchers confidence that the job will be completed efficiently and consistently with minimal manual input, regardless of who is in the cab. This frees operators to focus on other priorities across their operations.

Making Baling Easier for Every Operator

Scoped specifically for cornstalks and straw baling, Hands-Free Baling combines multiple John Deere technologies into one coordinated system, including AutoTrac guidance, AutoTrac Turn Automation, gate automation, speed automation and weave automation on a John Deere 1 Series Round Baler.

Together, these technologies allow the tractor and baler to work seamlessly together to:

Automatically follow windrows using guidance from the previous combine passes
Weave the baler for consistent, square-shouldered bale formation
Get consistent bales with less effort with speed and gate automation managing tractor speed and controlling the gate by stopping, wrapping and ejecting the bale at the right time
Execute efficient, repeatable turns on headlands.

This level of integration significantly reduces the need for manual input, transforming the baling process into a more streamlined and consistent operation.

Source : John Deere

Video: Alberta Honey: A Day at Molenkamp Honey Farms

When was the last time you read the label on your honey?

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Alberta has just 150 commercial beekeepers running 300,000 colonies, and together they produce 40% of Canada’s honey. Long summer days and golden canola fields give Alberta honey a light flavour that’s hard to match anywhere else.

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