Featured Story September 10, 2025
Deere Deepens Roots in Texas with New Test Center
Aerial tour of John Deere Austin Research & Development Center
It started with a laptop, a few business cards, and a bold idea—plus a napkin sketch over some BBQ.
In early 2022, a 40-acre leased field in Austin, Texas, became the proving ground for a vision that’s now reality. With just two pieces of equipment and a trailer, the groundwork was laid—literally—for what would become the John Deere Austin Research & Development Center.
Today, that bold beginning has grown into a 285-acre hub for innovation, collaboration, and year-round testing. The site brings teams together with thoughtfully designed office spaces and expansive crop trial fields, bridging the gap between fieldwork and strategy. “It’s where boots-on-the-ground insights meet enterprise-wide innovation,” explained Kyle Leinaar, test site manager.
Why Austin?
The location was no accident. “We’re in the heart of farmland,” Kyle explained. “But close enough to the airport that visitors can work till noon and still catch a 4:00 PM flight home.”
That balance of rural access and urban convenience makes the site ideal for year-round testing. Thanks to Texas’ early seasons, the team is planting corn in February before the Midwest even thaws. That means more time in the field and more time to test technologies like See & Spray™, autonomy, Machine Sync™, and AutoTrac™.
Building Relationships, One Acre at a Time
The site isn’t just for Deere employees. It’s a hub to foster new relationships with farmers and regional institutions. “We’ve mapped over 20,000 acres with local farmers,” Kyle shared. “We have had opportunities to test with farmers running a mixed fleet and expose them to the advantages of our full tech stack.”
With over a dozen farmers already engaged, the team is building trust and tech side by side. “When farmers found out John Deere was moving in, there was confusion but also excitement,” Kyle said. “And that excitement keeps growing.”
Collaboration in Action
Inside the site, it’s not uncommon to see a test engineer from the construction team having lunch with an agricultural sprayer test engineer. “We’re creating an environment for natural collaboration,” Kyle said. “It’s not just about machines. It’s about people.”
Employees from across the company are also getting hands-on experience. “Some folks know the controller inside and out but have never sat in a sprayer,” Kyle laughed. “We’re changing that.”