2010 Press Releases

If it’s exacting repeatability you’re after on your property then according to John Mulligan you shouldn’t look any further than John Deere’s StarFire™ RTK system.

John Mulligan grows cotton and broadacre crops on his 2,000 hectare ‘Donard Park’ property in Moree, New South Wales, and uses his own RTK radio base station to deliver 2.5cm accuracy from his John Deere Ag Management Systems.

Compatible with any GreenStar™ AutoTrac™ system the StarFire™ RTK system consists of a local base station that transmits highly accurate corrections to the vehicle’s StarFire™ receiver using RTK radios enabling nearly all GPS drift to be eliminated.

According to John, his family has been relying on John Deere tractors and pickers since his father started farming in the region in the late 1970’s and they’ve pretty well stuck with them ever since.

“As a matter of fact, I’m still running a John Deere 4040 that we got in the early 80’s – she’s had a few rebuilds but is still more than capable of towing the boll buggy during picking, running an auger and towing the refuelling tanker, so she’s still a handy little tractor.

“Farming has come a long way since we got the 4040, but the biggest advancement without doubt has been the rapid development of agricultural management systems.

“Our first encounter with GPS technology was through the Beeline system that was all the rage about 15 years ago, and while it was the beginning of a new era in farming there were certain integration issues that lead to us eventually going with John Deere’s RTK system.

“Initially we agreed to trial an RTK system for a few months but it quickly became apparent that its ability to deliver accuracy within 2.5cm would change our farming practices forever - and it did, as we now run three RTK systems on three different properties.

“We’ve also adopted a number of John Deere’s other agricultural management systems including Harvest Doc™, Variable Rate Control, Swath Control Pro™ and more recently their active implement steering system, iSteer™.

“GreenStar™ Harvest Doc™ has enabled us to collect valuable yield information from every field during harvesting that we compile in John Deere’s Apex™ software along with the data collected by our contract harvesters who also use Harvest Doc™.

“I’ve found that by using the Harvest Doc™ information we can pinpoint problem areas like hollows and variations in soil types and then rectify the issues before we plant the next crop.

“Hollows in particular are a big issue for us being a flood irrigator, so I keep a close eye on the information Harvest Doc™ collects to determine when to laser level a field in order to protect our most precious resource – water.

“The other big impact yield mapping has had has been on how and where we fertilise by using John Deere’s Rate Controller and Swath Control Pro™ to maximise the effects of fertilising, and they really are worth every dollar.

“By using yield mapping as a guide we are able to accurately measure and manage the leaching of fertiliser, enabling the Rate Controller to put more fertiliser where it’s needed and less where it’s not. While the Swath Control Pro™ system enables implements and sprayer booms to be turned on and off with a level of precision that is not obtainable using traditional methods.

“Recently I added John Deere’s new iSteer™ system that enables towed implements to be steered independently from the tractor through the RTK.

“The original guess row averager did a pretty good job but the new iSteer™ pulls up the hills so much better and enables us to handle 8 rows at a time, while the pinpoint accuracy of the guidance system has also substantially reduced plant cutting during cultivation.

“John Deere’s Ag Management Systems have had a tremendous impact on our yields, costs and productivity, while making farm management easier at the same time.

“The combination of repeatable accuracy and RTK controlled steering of the tractors and implements has enabled us to work longer each day and cover more acres.

“And because of the GreenStar™ system’s programmability and ease of use we don’t have to compete for highly skilled workers which has certainly made life easier.

“I’ve found that once I’ve programmed the equipment, all the operator has to do is turn it around at the end of every row and the AutoTrac™ and iSteer™ systems will ensure they don’t miss a row. And once a field is finished all they have to do is code in the next one that’s been programmed in and off they go.

“From my experience I would advise anyone considering adopting ag management systems like John Deere’s is not to necessarily go with the cheapest system out there. If your equipment is John Deere then it would be pretty hard to go past their GreenStar™ system as it’s all integrated and works in harmony.

“Plus John Deere is focussed solely on the agricultural market, unlike some other manufacturers who are involved in all sorts of different markets unrelated to farming.

“So if it’s repetitive accuracy you’re after then John Deere’s RTK system is your answer. I’ve done all my fields with it now and I know that when the equipment enters each field it will drive on last year’s line and that it’ll be dead straight every time,” John said.

Commenting on John’s recent addition of John Deere’s iSteer™ implement steering system Chesterfield Moree’s Sales Manager, Jason Young, said that John’s eagerness to adopt the latest technology was a credit to him.

“John’s been a Chesterfield’s customer since before I joined eleven years ago and in that time he’s always been on the ball when it comes to getting the most from his agricultural management systems.

“He’s an extremely good operator who takes the time to learn the systems backwards which enables him to constantly modify his farm management practices to reduce his costs and increase his yields,” Jason said.

For more information on John Deere Ag Management Solutions, visit our Web site or FREECALL 1800 800 981 in Australia and 0800 303 100 in New Zealand to contact your local John Deere dealer.

John Deere (Deere & Company - NYSE: DE) is the world's leading provider of advanced products and services for agriculture and forestry and a major provider of advanced products and services for construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. John Deere also provides financial services worldwide and manufactures and markets engines used in heavy equipment. Since it was founded in 1837, the company has extended its heritage of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation around the globe.