A John Deere Publication

hands cradling seedling in mound of dirt

"Farmers are working in constantly changing environments where every decision will impact their end result, which means they can't afford to adopt experimental practices that aren't proven to deliver the yield they anticipate," said Jill Sanchez.

Agriculture, Sustainability March 01, 2023

John Deere and ISU Launch New Demonstration Farm

Helping farmers feed and fuel the world sustainably.

In October, John Deere announced a strategic partnership with Iowa State University (ISU) to establish a demonstration site consisting of eight different fields and processes that will enable Deere to test sustainable solutions for large grain production systems in real-world scenarios.

"This demonstration farm, in partnership with ISU, allows us to experience the same uncertainties and challenges as our customers, so that we can test and identify which methods are successful, and deliver proven, innovative, and sustainable solutions to farmers," said Jill Sanchez, Director of Sustainability at John Deere.

The 80-acre demonstration farm will allow Deere and ISU to test sustainable farming practices in real-world scenarios and experience successes and failures through trial and error. Over a five-year production cycle, four different crop production systems will be implemented. The data and insights collected will measure crop productivity, economic cost of production, soil health, water quality, carbon intensity, and biodiversity.

"ISU has a longstanding relationship with John Deere, which has allowed us to translate agronomic sciences to practice through field demonstrations to unlock opportunities for farmers," added Matt Darr, Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at ISU. "This new research allows us to test new sustainability solutions, so that farmers can adopt practices they have confidence in."

The demonstration farm will not only enable Deere and ISU to prove the success of sustainable practices at scale, but it will also provide opportunities for educating employees and students, dealer and customer outreach, and equipment demonstrations. This partnership builds on Deere's Leap Ambitions, which are focused goals designed to boost both economic value and sustainability for customers, ensuring that every hour, every drop, every seed, every pound, and every pass counts to optimize their operations. ‡