Deere & Company, a global leader in agricultural equipment, has taken a significant step towards revolutionizing precision spraying with its recent acquisition of Smart Apply, a cutting-edge precision spraying equipment company based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The acquisition cements a productive working relationship that began in 2020 and marks a strategic move to further enhance John Deere's portfolio of solutions for high-value crop customers and dealers.
Smart Apply's claim to fame lies in its innovative Intelligent Spray Control Systemâ„¢, an upgrade kit that can be integrated with virtually any air-blast sprayer used in orchard, vineyard, and tree nursery spraying applications. The technology is designed to dramatically improve the precision and performance of spraying operations while reducing chemical use, airborne drift, and run-off, all while optimizing high-value crop yields and achieving sustainability objectives.
Mike Bailey, Director of Small Tractor & HVC Production System at John Deere, stated, "This is a natural progression of the two companies' working relationship. It's a continuation of our commitment to high-value crop customers and dealers, further expanding a portfolio of solutions to help growers address their biggest challenges around labor, input costs, and regulatory requirements, and achieve environmental goals."
Smart Apply's precision spraying technology has proven to be a game-changer for growers, offering significant benefits for both the environment and crop productivity. With the use of sophisticated LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology, the system intelligently senses the presence of individual trees and vines and automatically adjusts spray volume based on foliage density, ensuring optimal protection while eliminating wastage.
The efficiency of Smart Apply's technology is reflected in its remarkable results, boasting up to 93% less chemical runoff and up to 87% reduction in airborne drift. Additionally, the system leads to an average reduction of 50% in chemical use and water consumption, showcasing the significant impact it has on reducing environmental impact and conserving resources.
The Intelligent Spray Control Systemâ„¢ goes beyond merely enhancing spraying efficiency; it is also a comprehensive data-capturing tool. The system's proprietary, GPS-enabled software records and analyzes a broad spectrum of data during spraying operations, including date and time of spraying, overall spray volumes, chemical savings, tree counts, canopy volume, and individual tree or vine health. This wealth of precision data provides growers with a deeper understanding of their orchard's or vineyards' productivity, profitability, health, and sustainability.
Moreover, this data can be seamlessly integrated with John Deere's Operations Centerâ„¢ farm management software, unlocking another level of insights and expert support for growers, further enhancing the benefits of the Smart Apply technology.
Jerry Johnson, President, and CEO at Smart Apply expressed, "Both John Deere and Smart Apply recognize the importance of high-value crops and are committed to investing in innovation and technology that best serves producers who raise high-value crops and helps solve their problems."
Founded in 2014, Smart Apply has rapidly made a name for itself in the precision spraying market, and its products are primarily sold through John Deere dealers in several countries, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and England.
Looking ahead, Deere & Company plans to expand the availability of Smart Apply products throughout much of its dealer network in North America and Australia while exploring additional opportunities to introduce this groundbreaking technology to new markets. With the Smart Apply acquisition, Deere & Company reinforces its commitment to advancing precision agriculture and supporting growers in their pursuit of sustainable and efficient farming practices.