PRECISION AGRICULTURE DIGITAL DIGEST SPRING 2026 VOL 7, ISSUE 1 LASER-FOCUSED WEEDING GOES MAINSTREAM 10 STRAIGHT AS AN ARROWTUBE 26 YIELD ENERGY POSITIONS AGRICULTURE AS THE GRID’S NEXT BIG FLEXIBILITY RESOURCE 12
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PRECISION AGRICULTURE DIGITAL DIGEST Farms.com’s Media and Publishing division is responsible for publishing Precision Ag Magazine. © 2026 Farms.com Canada Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, it products or services, nor does Farms.com make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of advertiser claims. The publisher shall have no liability for the unintentional omission of any scheduled advertising. PHOTOS: a-r-t-i-s-t/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images, hudiemm/iStock/Getty Images Plus COVER PHOTOS: Neustockimages/iStock/Getty Images Plus, hudiemm/iStock/Getty Images Plus, stefann11/iStock/Getty Images Plus, simon2579/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images, Chinart – stock.adobe.com 04 06 08 10 12 16 18 22 24 26 MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Joseph Andrew.Joseph@Farms.com CONTRIBUTORS Diego Flammini DESIGN Greg Marlow ADVERTISING SALES Andrew Bawden Andrew.Bawden@Farms.com 877.438.5729 x 5030 Jeff McKee Jeff.McKee@Farms.com 888.248.4893 x 917 EDITOR, MARKETING & OPERATIONS Denise Faguy Denise.Faguy@Farms.com 888.248.4893 x 293 FARMS.COM OFFICE 90 Woodlawn Road West Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive email notifications when future issues of the quarterly Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest are published. KILIMO’S DATA‑DRIVEN PUSH TO SECURE WATER FOR THE FARMS OF THE FUTURE NEW SPRAYER TECHNOLOGY FROM JOHN DEERE PAG TECH CLIPS LASER-FOCUSED WEEDING GOES MAINSTREAM YIELD ENERGY POSITIONS AGRICULTURE AS THE GRID’S NEXT BIG FLEXIBILITY RESOURCE HELPING AGRONOMISTS PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR FARMERS KUBOTA’S KVPR REIMAGINES THE TRACTOR BITS & BYTES JOHN DEERE’S NEW G5E DISPLAYS HELP LOWER THE BARRIER TO PRECISION AG STRAIGHT AS AN ARROWTUBE We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. PRECISION, POWER, PROGRESS AI, IOT, AND AGTECH FOR TOMORROW’S FARMS.
04 Water scarcity is no longer a distant threat—it’s a defining force shaping the future of agriculture. Few companies are confronting that reality as directly as Kilimo, an international water‑stewardship technology firm that began in Argentina and now operates across some of the most stressed watersheds in the United States. With teams working in California and Texas, Kilimo’s model connects farmers seeking better water management with corporations trying to meet ambitious water‑security commitments. “We bridge the gap between water security investors and farmers,” explained Sami Tellatin, Kilimo’s Head of Water & Climate Solutions, in a recent interview with Farms.com. “Our job is to support conservation efforts in some of the world’s most critical watersheds.” Tellatin’s role sits at the intersection of engineering, finance, and policy, but her grounding comes from hands‑on agricultural work. Before joining Kilimo, she co‑founded FarmRaise, a platform that helps producers access capital, and spent years working on farms in Missouri and Costa Rica. “Being out in the field, building water and soil systems, is what really cemented my commitment to support projects that actually work,” she said. Kilimo’s approach blends technology with economic incentives. Its AI‑driven platform integrates climate, soil, and satellite data to give farmers precise irrigation recommendations. But Tellatin stressed that the technology is only part of the equation. “Farmers are naturally the best water stewards out there,” she stated. “Our job is just to give them the tools and the financial incentives to verify and scale the good work they’re already committed to.” That work is becoming more urgent. The United Nations recently warned of a “water post‑crisis reality,” and even “global water bankruptcy,” language Tellatin believes farmers should take seriously. “We’ve moved past the idea of a temporary drought that we just have to ‘wait out,’” Tellatin commented. “We’re living in a new reality where we’ve collectively spent more water than the environment can replenish.” KILIMO’S DATA‑DRIVEN PUSH TO SECURE WATER FOR THE FARMS OF THE FUTURE As water scarcity intensifies across North and South America, Kilimo is building a bridge between farmers and corporations to restore stressed watersheds. ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM Water flowing from an irrigation pipe into a farm canal is a reminder of the growing pressure on North and South American watersheds. Companies like Kilimo help producers optimize every drop of water through data‑driven irrigation management.
05 Regions already facing chronic stress—from Mexico and Chile to California’s Central Valley—are seeing the consequences in real time. Land subsidence, aquifer depletion, and infrastructure strain are no longer theoretical risks. “In these regions, if we don’t change how we manage the basin, we risk severely constraining the future viability of farming,” Tellatin warned. Small- and mid‑sized farms are often the most vulnerable, lacking the financial cushion to absorb water‑related shocks. Yet Tellatin has seen many succeed with the right support. In California’s San Joaquin Basin, Kilimo is working with four family farms transitioning from flood irrigation to precision drip systems. “By bridging the gap between these farmers and long‑term investment from partners like Microsoft, we’re able to provide the financial ‘cushion’ they need,” she related. To verify water savings, Kilimo uses the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) standard, which compares actual water use against a modeled baseline while adjusting for weather variability. “A lucky rainy year can make anyone look like a water‑saving genius,” Tellatin mentioned. “We use a 10‑year historical average of rainfall to isolate the farmer’s actual management decisions.” Verified savings can then be converted into direct payments to farmers through Kilimo’s ecosystem‑services program—turning conservation into a new revenue stream. “For the farmer, this translates into direct cash flow,” she offered. “It helps them upgrade equipment, reduce electricity bills, and make their farm more resilient to the next drought.” Still, unfortunately, many barriers remain. Many producers hesitate to adopt new practices without long‑term certainty, and existing policies were built for an era of relative water abundance. Tellatin believes industry leaders must commit to multi‑year, basin‑level investments. “Meaningful participation is about true water stewardship,” she said. “A gold‑standard partner understands that their operational risk is tied to the health of the entire basin.” Despite the challenges, Tellatin is optimistic. Advances in regenerative agriculture, improvements in soil health, and the rise of transparent, data‑driven accounting methods offer a path forward. Her message to farmers is one of empowerment. “You are already some of the most important water stewards we have,” she summed up. “Water conservation doesn’t have to mean less production. It can be viewed as a new kind of yield—a resource you manage, optimize, and benefit from, just like any other crop.” For Kilimo, that philosophy is shaping a new model of agricultural resilience— one where farmers, communities, and corporations work together to protect the watersheds that sustain them all. | pag PHOTO: pixelfusion3d/iStock/Getty Images Plus
John Deere is rolling out a series of updates for its model year 2027 sprayers, and many of the changes reflect direct customer feedback. “We are hyper-focused on listening to the needs of the customer and addressing those needs through the technology solutions that we offer,” said Josh Ladd, John Deere’s Marketing Manager for Application Equipment, to the Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest. “At the end of the day, customers are using our products to effectively manage weeds.” One of the updates farmers will notice is the See & Spray Gen 2 platform. This platform is available on model year 2027 John Deere 408R, 410R, 412R, 612R, and 616R sprayers. As well, all Hagie sprayers will now have the option for factory installed See & Spray Premium. Hagie sprayers are manufactured by Hagie Manufacturing Company, but the brand is owned by John Deere and produced in partnership with John Deere’s dealer and support network. See & Spray uses cameras, processors, and AI (artificial intelligence) to detect weeds and make targeted applications to help farmers efficiently manage their weeds while reducing products applied and improve yields. Previously, customers had to choose between Select, Premium, and Ultimate versions. Deere has now consolidated those into a single, customizable See & Spray offering. “We have merged those options into a singular offering that will now simply be See & Spray,” Ladd relayed. “As customers are working with their dealers to add the technology to their operation, there is still opportunity to customize.” Customizable options for customer now include single- or dual-tank configurations, boom lighting for nighttime applications, and nozzle systems such as ExactApply or Individual Nozzle Control Pro. Gen 2 also supports a wider range of crops including wheat, barley, canola, edible beans, milo/sorghum, sugar beets, and peanuts. Variable Rate capability, which was previously only available on See & Spray Select, is now part of the Gen 2 platform. 06 PHOTO: John Deere “WE ARE HYPER-FOCUSED ON LISTENING TO THE NEEDS OF THE CUSTOMER AND ADDRESSING THOSE NEEDS THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS THAT WE OFFER.” NEW SPRAYER TECHNOLOGY FROM JOHN DEERE Deere is bringing customers a simplified and unified See & Spray Gen 2 platform. DIEGO FLAMMINI FARMS.COM
07 Using real-time living biomass detection from the cameras, the system automatically adjusts application rates at the nozzle level. John Deere has also changed some of the technology powering the new See & Spray system. The new See & Spray system still uses 36 cameras scanning roughly 2,500 square feet per second, but Deere has streamlined the processing architecture. Instead of 10 processors, the system now uses three processors supported by five video extenders (VEX) that move data between cameras and processors. Deere also relocated the four cameras originally mounted behind the tires on the center frame. They now sit at the front of the machine to reduce dustrelated camera blockage. “We have moved those four cameras to the front just to address some of the challenges we knew our customers had with some softer sandier field conditions and the occlusion that they could at times cause,” Ladd explained. For owners of 2018 to 2026 sprayers, Deere will offer a precision upgrade kit to relocate the center-mounter cameras to the front of the machine. Another upgrade to the model year 2027 sprayers was applied to help improve the maneuverability of John Deere 400R Series. Farmers can now opt for a Four-Wheel Steering option with crab steer for better maneuverability. “We now allow the rear wheels to precisely follow the path of the front wheels,” Ladd said. “We can still move efficiently through the field, but we can reduce the turn radius, and reduce the risk of potential crop damage.” A third upgrade to John Deere’s application equipment is the ExactInject direct chemical injection system. This system, available as an aftermarket option on model year 2027 machines, adds flexibility to chemistry applications for the 408R, 410R, 612R and all Hagie sprayers. “The idea is that rather than having to premix a tank or a hot load in the primary tank on a sprayer, you can instead fill it with water,” Ladd noted. “And then you have a combination of jugs and pumps that are used to vary the products that are being applied.” And the new “estimated time-to-empty” and sprayer alerts help operators and tenders coordinate refills and reduce downtime. John Deere plans to begin taking orders for the model year 2027 machines in May of 2026, Ladd pointed out. For those farmers interested in the new See & Spray Gen 2 platform or other updates, please visit the John Deere website at www.deere.com or contact their local dealer. | pag
08 05 New Holland’s FASTEST Tractor Yet? The All-New T7 XD Series New Holland Agriculture has unveiled its all‑new T7XD tractor series, engineered from the ground up for high performance, increased durability, and next‑level operator comfort. 03 Overview of SymphonyVision | Duo from Precision Planting In this video, Gabe Scheidt, Regional Sales Manger for Precision Planting - PTx, walks the viewer through how this advanced system transforms a standard sprayer into a dual‑boom, camera‑driven, precision‑controlled application machine. 01 NEW IntelliSense Sprayer Automation from New Holland In this walkthrough, Paul Bruns, Regional Precision Manager for the Upper Plains, explains how IntelliSense brings advanced automation, weed detection, and real‑time rate control to 2026 and newer Guardian sprayers. 04 PTx FarmENGAGE Explained In this video, Zach Spence of PTx outlines how FarmENGAGE unifies data from Case, Ag Leader, Fendt, and John Deere equipment — helping growers visualize operations, plan smarter, and improve results year after year. TECH CLIPS WATCH 02 Meet the ALL-NEW Case IH Nutri-Tiller 1000 Series CJ Parker from Case IH explains the key features that promote uniform emergence, faster root development, and greater yield potential. WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH
09 07 NEW TrueTracker from PTx | Improved Accuracy, Better Control, Bigger Results Kaleb Rulon from PTx walks us through the next generation of TrueTracker. This upgraded implement‑guidance system delivers major improvements in accuracy, control, and operator experience. Watch and see what makes TrueTracker a game-changer for any operation. 06 Demco Liquid Tender Trailer Evolution — Mixing, Plumbing & Automated Tender Solutions Benji Van Green, Director of Sales at Demco, explains how customer feedback has shaped the trailer into a complete, high-efficiency chemical-handling and mixing platform for modern spraying operations. 08 Inside the John Deere C1100T Air Cart In this video, John Deere’s Anthony Styczinski highlights what makes this new air cart a major upgrade for seeding efficiency and in‑field productivity. WATCH WATCH WATCH 10 SPECIAL Case IH Magnum 265 — ‘Heartland Edition’ This fully painted, limited‑edition tractor is designed to honor the enduring spirit of the American farmer, featuring a special commemorative paint scheme celebrating 250 years. WATCH PHOTOS: DS70/E+ via Getty Images, stefann11/iStock/Getty Images Plus, hudiemm/iStock/Getty Images Plus 09 A Planting Game-Changer | Precision Planting’s ArrowTube ArrowTube is designed to improve emergence consistency by controlling something most planters overlook — seed orientation. WATCH WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE? WATCH & LEARN TO FIND OUT
Carbon Robotics, formally Carbon Autonomous Robotic Systems Inc., has grown from a Seattle, Washington, startup into one of the most closely watched players in autonomous weed control. Founded by Paul Mikesell, the company emerged from a simple conversation with a farmer about labor shortages, herbicide resistance, and the lack of innovation in mechanical weed control. That discussion sparked the idea for a machine that could identify plants with computer vision and eliminate weeds using high‑energy lasers instead of chemicals. The company launched in 2018, and its first commercial LaserWeeders reached farms in 2022, initially targeting high‑value specialty crops. Today, Carbon Robotics reports more than 150 machines operating on over 100 farms in 14 countries, reflecting rapid global adoption. The first LaserWeeder introduced the core concept: a tractor‑pulled platform using AI, deep learning, and multiple industrial CO2 lasers to kill weeds at the soil surface with millimeter accuracy. It offered growers a way to reduce hand‑weeding labor, eliminate herbicides, and improve crop quality by avoiding mechanical disturbance. The new LaserWeeder G2 line builds on that foundation with major improvements in speed, modularity, and field versatility. According to Carbon Robotics, the G2 is faster, lighter, and more configurable, operating up to twice as many acres per hour as the original platform. Models now range from compact 6.6‑foot units to 60‑foot machines, allowing growers to match the system to their tractor power and field scale. What’s inside the G2 platform At the heart of the G2 is Carbon Robotics’ Large Plant Model (LPM)—an AI system trained on more than 150 million labeled plants. The LPM allows the LaserWeeder to recognize new crops or weeds with minimal input, enabling growers to update targets in minutes with a single image. This flexibility is key to expanding beyond specialty vegetables into broad‑acre crops such as organic corn and soybeans. Each G2 unit uses multiple high‑powered lasers (Carbon Robotics does not disclose exact counts per model) that fire at weeds identified by the vision system. The lasers destroy plant meristems without disturbing soil structure, preserving moisture and microbial activity while avoiding herbicide drift or residue. 10 PHOTO: carbonrobotics.com LASER-FOCUSED WEEDING GOES MAINSTREAM ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
11 The G2 family includes several width-based configurations—G2 200, G2 300, G2 400, G2 600, and G2 1200—designed to match different tractor classes and farm sizes. While Carbon Robotics does not publicly list detailed specs for each model, the differences center on: • Working width • Number of laser modules • Required tractor horsepower • Throughput (acres/hour) • Crop and bed configurations We do know that smaller units suit vegetable growers with narrow beds, while the 60‑foot G2 1200 targets large-scale operations seeking broad-acre coverage. How the LaserWeeder G2 Works The G2 mounts behind a tractor and uses onboard cameras to scan the soil surface at high speed. AI identifies each plant in real time, classifying it as crop or weed. The system then fires targeted laser pulses at weeds, killing them instantly. Because the AI model can be updated to recognize new crops or weed species, the machine adapts to diverse production systems. For growers, the value proposition is straightforward: • Lower labor costs by replacing hand weeding; • Reduced herbicide use and compliance with organic standards; • Higher yields and quality due to less crop disturbance; • Scalable ROI as the machine covers more acres per hour than previous generations. Any tractor with the appropriate horsepower and hydraulic/electrical support can pull a G2 unit, though larger models require higher‑power tractors for consistent field speed. The system is designed to work across a wide range of vegetable crops and is expanding into row crops as the LPM improves. The AI primarily identifies weeds, not non‑crop plants, meaning it looks for the bad rather than the good— though the LPM’s flexibility allows growers to tune the system for specific crops or varieties. The LaserWeeder G2 targets weeds only; it does not treat fungal infections or plant diseases. Availability, Leasing, and Safety Carbon Robotics sells the LaserWeeder G2’s directly and offers leasing options in some regions. The machines are currently deployed in 14 countries, with availability expanding as manufacturing scales. Safety protocols include: • Restricted human access around the machine during operation; • Shielding and interlocks are in place to prevent laser exposure; • Operator training on startup, shutdown, and emergency procedures; • Clear no‑go zones for workers and bystanders. The lasers fire only when the system confirms safe operating conditions. Laser weeding has moved from novelty to commercial reality, and Carbon Robotics’ G2 platform represents the most mature version of the technology to date. With faster operation, broader crop compatibility, and AI that can adapt to new environments quickly, the company is positioning itself as a leader in non‑chemical weed control at scale. As growers face rising labor costs, herbicide resistance, and sustainability pressures, the G2 lineup offers a path toward cleaner fields and more predictable weed management. | pag Carbon Robotics’ next generation LaserWeeder G2 platform brings faster AI-driven weed control, broader crop compatibility, and scalable models aimed at reducing herbicide use and boosting farm ROI. WATCH THE VIDEO
12 The rapid electrification of North American industries has created a new kind of pressure on utilities: demand is rising faster than traditional infrastructure can keep up. At the same time, farms are adopting connected equipment at unprecedented rates, creating a landscape where agriculture is suddenly positioned to play a pivotal role in grid reliability. Yield Energy, led by Chief Executive Officer Tyler Nuss, is building the technology to make that shift possible across diverse farm operations. The company is a San Diego, California-based energytechnology company specializing in agricultural demand flexibility. Its Yield Edge Distributed Energy Resources Management System (DERMS) flagship platform is designed specifically for agriculture. It aggregates on-farm distributed energy resources into reliable, dispatchable grid assets, helping utilities increase capacity while enabling growers to earn new revenue and reduce energy costs. The company was formerly known as Polaris Energy Services, but as Nuss explained to Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest, the rebrand reflects a strategic evolution rather than a change in ownership. “We rebranded the company due to two major macro shifts,” he explained. “The first is the surge in grid load driven by AI data centers, electrification, and onshoring. The second is the rapid rise of on-farm IoT adoption. PHOTOS: Yield Energy The company’s purpose-built agricultural DERMS platform turns everyday farm equipment into fast, reliable grid support assets—without changing how growers operate. YIELD ENERGY POSITIONS AGRICULTURE AS THE GRID’S NEXT BIG FLEXIBILITY RESOURCE ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
13 He called this increasing adoption of onfarm DERs (distributed energy resources) a pivotal moment for agriculture to be a key part of the solution to increase capacity for utilities. Yield Edge is built to harness that moment, according to Nuss. The platform aggregates on-farm distributed energy resources—primarily irrigation pumps today, but increasingly cold storage, EV chargers, solar, batteries, and generators—and turns them into a unified, dispatchable grid asset. “Yes, we aggregate on-farm DERs into various utility programs that operate as a unified dispatchable grid asset,” Nuss said to this magazine. “Enrolled DERs will respond to grid needs based on the program through our DERMS platform.” A DERMS Built for the Agricultural Industry, Not Adapted to It While DERMS platforms have proliferated in residential and commercial sectors, agriculture has remained underserved. Nuss realized that the gap was glaring. “Most DERMS platforms are focused on residential, commercial, and industrial. While some aggregators dabble in agriculture, Yield was built to support farmers,” related Nuss. That agricultural focus has paid off: the company has averaged 100 percent performance in demandresponse dispatches over the past five years. The reason, noted Nuss, is that agriculture requires a fundamentally different approach. Farms operate on biological schedules, not business hours. Irrigation cycles, crop needs, and regional climates all shape energy use. Yield Edge was architected around those realities. “Over the past 10 years, we have developed our own proprietary pump automation,” he said. That hands-on experience taught the team how hardware behaves in the field and how to build reliable cloud-connected control systems. Today, the platform is hardware-agnostic, integrating directly with leading irrigation automation companies through a growing partner ecosystem. Turning Already Exisiting Equipment Into GridReady Capacity Yield Energy’s model is simple: utilities need flexible capacity, and farms have large, controllable loads that can deliver it—if the right technology exists to coordinate them. Yield Edge provides that coordination. “Yield’s Edge DERMS platform is a demand flexibility technology solution for utilities looking to increase their capacity quickly and cost-effectively,” Nuss related. The company designs and implements flexibility programs for utilities, then recruits growers to participate. Depending on the program, farmers earn either capacity-based revenue or bill savings through dynamic rates. The value proposition for growers is straightforward: no new equipment, no cost to enroll, and no disruption to operations.
14 Farmers are in full control of their enrollment,” Nuss emphasized. “They can choose to participate or not based on their operation.” For most, the financial upside is significant. “Yield growers enrolled in demand response on average see $20–30,000 annual revenue. In dynamic rates, growers can save 10 to 20 percent on their bill.” Engineering for Reliability at Scale Building a DERMS that can respond quickly enough for utilitygrade dispatches required solving two major engineering challenges: interoperability and performance at scale. “Farms have a mix of equipment types and vendors, so integrations must be hardware-agnostic while still reliable,” Nuss commented. The second challenge is ensuring consistent telemetry and control across thousands of devices. Yield has already enrolled thousands of assets and continues to deliver strong performance metrics. That reliability is essential for utilities evaluating agricultural loads. “We’ve delivered 100 percent average demand response performance and demonstrated 67 percent loadshift potential during peak hours,” stated Nuss, adding that those results help utilities see agriculture not as a risk, but as a dependable resource. A New Category of Clean, Flexible Capacity Utilities have not historically avoided agricultural loads, Nuss argues—they simply lacked the tools to properly unlock them. Irrigation pumping alone accounts for roughly one percent of all US electricity use, making it a massive, untapped resource. With Yield Edge, that resource becomes accessible. “What does grid-ready flexibility mean?” Nuss said. “It means a utility can count on farms to deliver measurable load reduction or load shifting quickly, repeatedly, and predictably—like a resource that can ‘show up’ when called.” During dispatch events, Yield Edge said that they coordinate participating assets so they can respond as a unified resource. Response times vary by program, from day-ahead notifications to 30-minute windows. In dynamic-rate programs, growers can schedule around high-priced hours to maximize savings. A Growing AgTech Ecosystem Yield Energy’s partner ecosystem is central to its scalability. By integrating with existing automation platforms, the company allows willing growers to participate in flexibility programs using equipment they already own. “We are partnering with the leading irrigation automation companies in agriculture, including Wiseconn, Netafim, Lumo, Verdi, RANCH Systems, Farmblox, and SWAN Systems,” he related. These integrations are built through standard API protocols, enabling partners to offer Yield programs as a native feature. For growers, that means a seamless experience. For partners, it adds a new revenue-generating or costsaving capability to their platforms. As farms electrify more equipment—EVs, cold storage, onsite generation—their importance to grid planning will only grow. “Agriculture becomes a new category of clean, flexible capacity,” Nuss summed up to this magazine. “Large, responsive loads that can support grid reliability and reduce the need for expensive upgrades—while strengthening grower economics.” Yield Energy sees this as the beginning of a long-term shift in how utilities and agriculture collaborate. With the right technology, farms can help stabilize the grid, reduce infrastructure costs, and generate new revenue streams—all without changing the way they farm. Learn more at www.yieldenergy.com. | pag “YIELD GROWERS ENROLLED IN DEMAND RESPONSE ON AVERAGE SEE $20–30,000 ANNUAL REVENUE. IN DYNAMIC RATES, GROWERS CAN SAVE 10 TO 20 PERCENT ON THEIR BILL.”
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16 Farmers want answers quickly when something in the field isn’t right. New tools like Taranis are helping agronomists spot issues earlier so growers can act faster. “It is helping the agronomist be in the right place at the right time with the right solution for that grower,” Katie Staton, Director of Customer Success with Taranis, told Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest. Taranis is a cutting-edge crop and farm management software—and self-named company headquartered in Westfield, Indiana—providing increased yield and efficiency for precision agriculture. Taranis and its AI system capture high-resolution images from drones to paint a comprehensive picture of field activity. The company offers three service plans for its customers with feature differences between them. 01 Advanced+ includes four flights 02 Elite+ has five flights, 03 and Pro+ has six flights. Only the Taranis team and contracted pilots interact with the drone. “We fly six times throughout the season, so that’s six guaranteed touchpoints that a grower will get from their agronomist,” Staton explained. “So, when we’re flying, we’re looking early on right at an emergency for stand count and early weeds between broads and grasses, so we can see if that residual is working [or] do we need to do a replant from stand count?” Flights later in the season help detect disease pressure, insect pressure, and nutrient deficiencies. The company’s pilots fly DJI M300 and M30 drones. These drones are equipped with one camera underneath to capture leaf-level imagery and about 1/25th of an acre overall. There’s also a wide-angle camera that covers about 1/8th of an acre. The drones are loaded with Taranis’s proprietary software to ensure it meets FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) regulations. The FAA oversees civil aviation safety, air traffic control, aircraft certification, and the rules that govern all US airspace. About 10 days after the initial flight, Taranis drone operators do another field scan to look for things like disease, nutrient deficiencies, and insect damage. In total, agronomists who work with Taranis are providing their customers with between 80 and 90 days of growing season coverage. Taranis, also the name of a Celtic god associated with control of the sky, is most effective in corn and soybean operations as it’s been capturing images and data on those farms for 10 years. But work is ongoing to include more crops in the dataset. “We are developing and working in potatoes, sugar beets, sorghum, rice, sugar cane (and) cotton,” Staton said. Agronomists interested in using Taranis in their field scouting can participate in the company’s onboarding program to become familiar with the HELPING AGRONOMISTS PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR FARMERS Taranis uses cameras and AI to tell field stories. DIEGO FLAMMINI FARMS.COM
17 service and its features. Once that’s completed, crop advisors can manage fields through Taranis’s mobile or web applications. The web application stores all of the insights, map layers, and other tools, while the mobile app supports those functions. “You can geolocate directly over the top of the images that were taken,” Staton said. “Then you can take the grower out to build that rapport with them, drop pins, take notes and images on the mobile app, and that’ll translate back into the web version as well.” A unique feature of the Taranis system is a chat function for agronomists called AgAssistant. It operates like online AI chatbots. “It’s taking all of the information that is found over the course of the season, over that entire flight that’s done. It’s taking in things like weather data and research articles,” Staton pointed out. “It will quickly analyze and generate a short summary that describes what’s happening in the field. Sometimes it’ll point out economic impact if it is relevant to the insight that’s being analyzed.” That summary is for agronomists only and may include product recommendations. But agronomists and crop advisors can then send a PDF summary of what’s happening in the field to their farmer clients. Taranis is currently not available in Canada due to different rules surrounding unmanned aircraft. “It’s not a no, and I can tell you there are talks with some Canadian companies, but nothing that is currently operating there,” Staton said. American agronomists interested in onboarding with Taranis can contact the company directly. Company information can be found at www.taranis.com. | pag “YOU CAN GEOLOCATE DIRECTLY OVER THE TOP OF THE IMAGES THAT WERE TAKEN. THEN YOU CAN TAKE THE GROWER OUT TO BUILD THAT RAPPORT WITH THEM, DROP PINS, TAKE NOTES AND IMAGES ON THE MOBILE APP, AND THAT’LL TRANSLATE BACK INTO THE WEB VERSION AS WELL.” PHOTO: herraez – stock.adobe.com WATCH THE VIDEO
18 As the saying goes, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas—but that’s not necessarily so for Kubota. Kubota used the global stage of CES 2026 (aka the Consumer Electronics Show) this past January in Las Vegas, Nevada, to unveil one of its most ambitious concept machines to date: the KVPR, or Kubota Versatile Platform Robot. Designed as a transformer-style autonomous platform capable of expanding, contracting, and moving along every axis, the KVPR represents Kubota’s boldest attempt yet to rethink how specialty-crop work gets done. While still a concept, the KVPR offers a glimpse into the company’s long-term vision for adaptable, intelligent, multi-purpose field equipment. Kubota North America Corporation, headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, serves as the central business hub for Kubota’s US and Canadian operations, supporting a full range of agricultural, construction, turf, and specialty-crop equipment. Kubota Corporation, based in Osaka, Japan, has a 130-year history of engineering solutions that address global challenges, from early water-infrastructure innovations to today’s autonomous and AI-enabled machinery. At its core, the KVPR is built to solve a problem that growers have been voicing for years: the need for multiple machines to handle multiple seasonal jobs. As Brett McMickell, Chief Technology Officer for Kubota North America, explained to Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest, “The purpose of the machine is to deliver the versatility of multiple machines in one intuitive solution; designed for specialty crops and other jobs that demand different widths/heights and tool positions across the year.” Instead of buying and maintaining several tractors or dedicated implements, the KVPR aims to consolidate those tasks into a single, reconfigurable platform. A Transforming Chassis That is Built for Specialty Crops The KVPR’s most striking feature is its ability to physically change shape. Kubota engineers designed a three-frame architecture that adjusts width, height, and even the center of gravity depending on the job. This allows the machine to adapt to different row spacings, canopy heights, terrain conditions, and implement loads. McMickell described it this way: “The expanding and contracting architecture is enabled by a reconfigurable central chassis that changes width, height, and even its center of gravity to match furrows, canopy stages, terrain, and implement loads so that the machine fits the job, not the other way around.” Electro-hydraulic adjustments allow the platform to widen or narrow for different tramways, while height changes accommodate crop growth or under-canopy work. Even the battery pack shifts position to tune balance and stability, reducing or eliminating the need for add-on weights. KUBOTA’S KVPR REIMAGINES THE TRACTOR Kubota’s new KVPR concept platform introduces a transforming, omni-directional, AI-enabled robot designed to replace multiple specialty-crop machines with one adaptable solution. ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
19 For specialty-crop growers who often manage multiple crops with different physical requirements, this adaptability could significantly reduce a farm’s equipment redundancy. Omni-directional Movement for Tighter, More Complex Fields Beyond its shape-shifting chassis, the KVPR’s wideranging movement capabilities set it apart from traditional tractors. With independent steering on all four wheels and five independent drive motors, the platform can move forward, backward, laterally, diagonally, or rotate in place. This omni-directional mobility is designed for vineyards, orchards, and trellised systems where tight headlands and irregular field shapes make maneuvering difficult. As McMickell noted, “The KVPR moving along every axis is enabled by independent steering on all four wheels, enabling zero-turn, lateral, and diagonal movement, aligning tools to plant rows with fewer headland maneuvers.” For growers working in blocks that aren’t perfect rectangles, or in older plantings with inconsistent spacing, this level of precision could reduce time-consuming repositioning and improve overall efficiency. The platform also supports multi-position tool mounting—on the sides, top, or underside—enabling single-pass, multi-action work. Cultivating, spraying, and sensing could theoretically happen in one trip down the row. Autonomous Operation Backed by AI and Sensor Fusion The KVPR is designed from the ground up as an autonomous machine, building on Kubota’s growing portfolio of AI-enabled equipment. The perception stack blends cameras, LiDAR, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System, aka GPS), and 5G/LTE connectivity (Kubota uses both: LTE ensures coverage in rural or remote areas; 5G provides high‑speed, low‑latency performance where available) to support obstacle detection, navigation, and teleoperation. Kubota’s KVPR concept platform, unveiled at CES 2026, showcases the company’s vision for a transforming, AI‑enabled, omnidirectional field robot designed to adapt to a wide range of specialty‑crop tasks. PHOTOS: Kubota
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21 McMickell told the magazine that voice interaction is planned for future iterations. He explained the layered approach: “AI models are included at various levels from physical AI to cloud AI, depending on the latency that can be supported. Navigation and obstacle detection... need to be reasoned in physical AI on the machine.” This ensures the robot can react quickly even when connectivity is limited—a common challenge in rural environments. Kubota’s broader digital ecosystem also plays a role. WorkSmart telematics (Kubota’s own telematics platform), WorkSmart AI Perception (Kubota’s AI‑driven perception and analytics system), and partnerships with companies like Bloomfield Robotics feed into a larger “Assess–Analyze–Act” loop. Persistent data collection, hyperspectral sensing, and digital twins allow the system to forecast yield, predict disease, and generate work instructions for autonomous machines. As McMickell put it, “By increasing the persistence of data collection and fusing multiple sensors, digital twins of the entire operation can be created.” The KVPR is one piece of a much larger vision for integrated, data-driven farm management. A Concept Vehicle That Comes With a Clear Commercial Purpose Kubota emphasized that the KVPR is not a commercial product—at least not yet. Instead, it is part of the company’s Innovation Cycle, a structured process that moves ideas from customer pain points to field pilots to commercialization. McMickell explained, “The KVPR is a concept vehicle designed to evaluate technology and application as part of Kubota’s Innovation Cycle... The concept will not come to market exactly as built today, but the evaluation of the current vehicle will help direct our commercial development for the future.” This mirrors Kubota’s approach to autonomy on the M5 Narrow specialty-crop tractor. After years of pilot programs—including work with Treasury Wine Estates—Kubota announced commercialization of the autonomous M5 Narrow at CES 2026. The KVPR is following a similar path, with Kubota actively seeking early adopters and pilot partners. Kubota’s development philosophy centers on customer readiness and real-world testing. The company uses marketing assessments, field pilots, and step-by-step improvement to ensure that its new technologies properly match operator needs and workflows. McMickell said, “Kubota conducts marketing assessments to identify pain points or challenges, then develops field pilots with customers to refine these concepts for commercialization and scale.” This approach allows growers to adopt autonomy and advanced robotics at their own pace, choosing when and how to integrate new capabilities. Pilot programs for the autonomous M5 Narrow continue to expand, and Kubota expects similar early-adopter partnerships for future KVPR-related technologies. The company is also exploring cooperative vehicle concepts, where multiple autonomous platforms work together to move larger implements. A Glimpse Into Kubota’s Future The KVPR concept is more than a futuristic robot—it’s a statement about where Kubota believes specialty-crop equipment is heading. With on-farm labor shortages, rising operational complexity, and increasing pressure for efficiency, growers need machines that are smarter, more adaptable, and easier to operate. Kubota’s leadership sees this as a turning point. As McMickell put it, “Physical AI is a key inflection point for our industry and for Kubota.” The KVPR embodies that shift, blending robotics, autonomy, data intelligence, and modular design into a single platform. While the KVPR itself may not reach the market in its current form, the technologies inside it—omnidirectional mobility, reconfigurable geometry, autonomous implement swapping, and AI-driven perception—are likely to shape Kubota’s next generation of specialtycrop equipment. Learn more at www.KubotaUSA.com. | pag
01 TAPS Programs -- Transforming Farm Management Through RealWorld, RiskFree Innovation TAPS programs offer farmers risk-free testing, precision ag experience, real-time data insights, and handson practice with emerging ag technologies. MORE 22 BITS & BYTES 02 Dual-Line Precision Spraying Proven Most Agronomically Sound in UNL 2025 Field Trials UNL’s 2025 trials show dual-line AI precision spraying delivers stronger weed control, protects yields, and maintains best-practice herbicide programs. MORE 05 New Autonomous Tillage Tech Wins Major Award PTx Trimble wins the 2026 Davidson Prize for OutRun Tillage, a retrofit system that converts existing tractors into autonomous tillage machines to improve efficiency and farm productivity. MORE 04 EverAg Embeds AI to Transform Ag Retail EverAg integrates embedded AI into Merchant Ag platform to help ag retailers improve workflows, strengthen inventory control, and boost operational efficiency. MORE 03 Taranis Uses AI and Drones to Boost Crop Yields Taranis uses drones and AI to deliver leaflevel crop insights, helping farmers detect issues early, improve decision-making, boost yields, and increase farm efficiency. MORE
23 08 Bayer Expands Preceon Smart Corn Across US Acres Bayer expands its Preceon Smart Corn System in 2025, surpassing acreage goals and planning further growth, new regions, and 16 hybrids for 2026. MORE 07 New US Handbook Guides Satellite Use in Farm Data A new UN handbook, with input from NASA Harvest, explains how satellite imagery can be turned into reliable agricultural statistics to support food security, policy decisions, and global markets. MORE 06 XELA Sensors Boost Precision in Robot Hands XELA Robotics expands its tactile sensor technology with new integrations and smaller, smarter sensing points, offering robots a human-like sense of touch for precise handling across industries. MORE 09 A Complete Guide to US Drone Spraying Courses to Help Farmers Adopt the Latest Ag-Tech Tools Discover where farmers can access trusted drone spraying training across the US, including university, extension, and private programs to support modern precision agriculture. MORE PHOTO: FluxFactory/E+ via Getty Images 10 New AI System Boosts Farm Efficiency Lantern Partners AI launches LanternBRP platform to help agribusiness manage crop planning supply chains and data using predictive analytics and connected technology systems. MORE
24 John Deere has introduced the G5e Universal and CommandCenter displays, a pair of entry‑level precision ag interfaces designed to help farmers, ranchers, and mixed‑fleet operators adopt digital tools without a steep financial or technical learning curve. The company positions the G5e as a gateway into its broader Precision Ag ecosystem, offering wireless connectivity, ISOBUS compatibility, and support for documentation, guidance, and section control—all in a compact 8‑inch touchscreen format. As John Deere stated, the G5e provides “an easy-to-use and affordable solution, allowing them access to John Deere’s technology portfolio at an approachable entry point.” The displays are available in both Universal and CommandCenter configurations and can be expanded through optional licenses for AutoTrac and Section Control. John Deere emphasized that the G5e integrates seamlessly with the John Deere Operations Center, enabling operators to move data wirelessly, access Remote Display features, and build toward more advanced capabilities over time. Ryan Stien, Precision Ag Marketing Manager for John Deere, underscored the intent behind the product: “The G5e helps make John Deere’s precision ag technology more accessible—especially for farmers and ranchers or those getting started with precision ag tools—so they can begin seeing the benefits without a large upfront investment.” PHOTO: John Deere The G5e Universal and CommandCenter displays give mixed‑fleet and first‑time precision ag users an affordable, scalable entry point into connected farming. JOHN DEERE’S NEW G5E DISPLAYS HELP LOWER THE BARRIER TO PRECISION AG ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
25 He added that the display “is built to be simple and cost-effective, but a powerful tool that enables farmers and ranchers to benefit from precision technology, gaining more productivity, efficiencies, and insights.” By combining simplicity with the connectivity of the John Deere ecosystem, the G5e aims to give producers a practical first step into digital agriculture—one that can scale as their operations and comfort with precision tools grow. John Deere is a global leader in agricultural, construction, and forestry equipment, known for nearly two centuries of engineering innovation that supports food, fiber, fuel, and infrastructure production worldwide. Founded in 1837 with the invention of the steel plow, the company has grown into a technology‑driven manufacturer whose precision ag tools, connected platforms, and advanced machinery serve farmers, ranchers, contractors, and land managers in more than 160 countries. Deere continues to expand its digital ecosystem through automation, data‑driven insights, and integrated equipment solutions that help customers work more efficiently and sustainably. For more company information, visit www.deere.com. | pag “THE G5E HELPS MAKE JOHN DEERE’S PRECISION AG TECHNOLOGY MORE ACCESSIBLE—ESPECIALLY FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS OR THOSE GETTING STARTED WITH PRECISION AG TOOLS—SO THEY CAN BEGIN SEEING THE BENEFITS WITHOUT A LARGE UPFRONT INVESTMENT.” CHOOSE BETWEEN CROP NEWSLETTERS IN YOUR REGION, A FARM MACHINERY NEWSLETTER, OR THIS DIGITAL DIGEST.
26 At Precision Planting, they spend a lot of time thinking about sunlight. They understand that a plant’s entire purpose is to convert light into grain, and the more efficiently it captures that light, the more yield potential a farmer can unlock. That’s the foundation behind ArrowTube, a new seed‑delivery system designed by Precision Planting to orient every seed tip‑down and embryo‑out—two factors that directly influence emergence timing and leaf alignment. By controlling orientation without sacrificing spacing, depth, or singulation, it helps crops emerge more uniformly and align leaves for better sunlight capture and higher yield potential. Precision Planting is a leading developer of retrofit precision‑ag technologies designed to improve the agronomic and economic performance of modern crop production systems. Founded on the principle that incremental improvements at the planter can deliver outsized gains at harvest, the company has built a global reputation for engineering solutions that enhance seed placement, emergence consistency, nutrient delivery, and overall field efficiency. As part of PTx, AGCO’s precision agriculture brand, Precision Planting operates from its headquarters in Tremont, Illinois, with additional facilities in Morton, IL; Pontiac, IL; Fargo, North Dakota; Bremen, Indiana; and Westminster, Colorado. Its technologies are available worldwide through an extensive dealer network and are also integrated into new equipment from major OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), including Case IH, Massey Ferguson, Fendt, and Horsch. Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest talked with Bryce Baker, the North America Tactical Marketing Manager at PTx about the ArrowTube technology. As noted, the goal of the corn plant is to turn sunlight energy into grain. “ArrowTube is able to orient seeds for both; seeds planted tip down create the shortest path for the coleoptile of the plant to reach the soil surface, creating the fastest emergence possible.” He continued: “When the embryo of the seed is facing the adjacent row, the leaves tend to grow across the row rather than down the row, which allows for improved sunlight capture. ArrowTube optimizes seed placement for both of these things.” Without sacrificing depth, spacing, or singulation, Baker explained that ArrowTube works with existing vSet meters and takes the seed from it (vSet is a Precision Technologies seed‑metering and control technology, not a brand). After leaving the loop, the seed enters a helical- shaped tube that has a riding wall and a guide wall that essentially create a corner that the seed sits in; the helical shape of the tube, like rifling or a tube slide, uses centrifugal force to hold the seed in the corner of the riding and guide wall which keeps the seed orientation all the way to the furrow. PHOTOS: Precision Planting STRAIGHT AS AN ARROWTUBE Precision Planting’s new ArrowTube system is engineered to orient every seed for faster emergence, better leaf alignment, and improved sunlight capture. ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
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