In March, Deere pulled the wraps off of the planned updates to the 2024 line of 7, 8 and 9 series tractors it will soon begin offering producers, giving those machines the features that the brand says will help “prepare (farmers) for the future of precision agriculture.” And that, of course, means more digital capability.
Key among those updates is the new StarFire 7000 integrated GPS position receiver and an all-new G5 Plus CommandCenter Display. Both will be included as base equipment for the model year 2024, 7, 8 and 9 series tractors.
“We updated our largest John Deere tractors with new technology to help our customers achieve the highest levels of precision ag efficiency and ease of use today, while ensuring their tractors are prepared to work autonomously in coming years,” said Ryan Jardon, marketing manager for John Deere.
Read Also
Swather-sprayer retrofit a clever solution to winter wheat’s tight planting window
A system to spray pre-seed herbicide at the same time as swathing isn’t just a clever labour-saver, but could help overcome one of the biggest obstacles keeping Prairie farmers out of winter wheat: the timing.
According to Deere, the new 7000 receiver features five years of repeatability and 73 per cent faster pull-in times, and it’s 17 per cent more accurate when using SF-RTK (which gives year-over-year repeatability without the need for a base station) when compared with previous models using the SF3 signal. As well, it offers improved signal stability and reliability, providing what Deere says is the highest level of guidance and accuracy ever offered in a green tractor.
In the cab
Inside the cab, the all-new G5 Plus CommandCenter display or the optional G5 Plus Extended monitors have a processing speed that is three times faster than previous displays. The new G5 monitor is 10.1 inches and the G5 Plus has a 12.8-inch touch screen.
AutoTrac guidance and section control are now included in base equipment, too.
“Farmers can add the optional G5 Advanced package to take advantage of John Deere applications that include AutoTrac Turn Automation, AutoPath, AutoTrac Implement Guidance, Machine Sync and In-Field Data Sharing,” said Jardon.
“The G5 Advanced software licence provides these valuable capabilities while providing lower upfront cost, gets better over time, and you only pay for what your farm needs. These applications help farmers cover more acres per day with less time and stress. The G5 Advanced package is available as a one- or three-year option from the factory. With G5 Plus, farmers can be confident in knowing they’re using the latest, most advanced features each year.”
Another feature John Deere is making available is a factory-installed implement ethernet. This new connection enables future high-bandwidth communication between tractors and implements.
A new right-hand corner post display was added inside the cab of all 7, 8 and 9 series tractors. The display features digital readouts and an illustration area to help ensure these tractors can take advantage of advanced features as they become available. A factory-installed rear-window tint is also available for John Deere CommandView 4 cabs to help keep operators comfortable while providing better visibility on display screens on bright days.
Other model year 2024 updates include the addition of 20 more horsepower for all 9RT two-track tractors. Farmers can now choose from the 9RT 490, 9RT 540 or 9RT 590.
Finally, as factory-installed autonomous tractor operation appears to be just over the horizon, Deere is also planning to equip all 8 and 9 series models rolling off of the assembly line, starting with the 2024 model year, with the base features necessary to handle autonomous operation — when the autonomous operation feature is finally released for Deere tractors. Exactly when that will happen isn’t known just yet, but what is clear is that it will happen.
