Beyond spraying: John Deere reveals See & Scout built on precision ag tech
John Deere’s precision ag technology See & Spray is providing the foundation for other digital farming tools, like the forthcoming See & Scout feature
Ag machinery giant John Deere is preparing to launch the next generation of its digital farming tools, adding a scouting feature built from its See & Spray precision agriculture technology.
See & Scout will use the sprayer cameras that are part of the See & Spray offering to gather field data and produce insights like weed pressure maps, even when the machine is not being used for precision spraying, Josh Ladd, marketing manager for application equipment at John Deere, told AgTechNavigator.
USDA signs $300m agreement with Palantir to boost farm security with AI
AI company Palantir makes further in-roads in the agriculture sector and continues its works with the USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) signed a $300 million blanket purchase agreement with AI company Palantir Technologies to update the government agency’s digital infrastructure and address the goals of the National Farm Security Action Plan.
Palantir will build upon USDA’s existing capabilities and offer software and will “secure American farmland, enhance supply chain resilience, and shield agricultural programs from fraud, abuse, and foreign adversary influence,” the company shared in a press release.
Clarkson’s Farm turns to variable-rate nitrogen as fertiliser crisis tightens
The severe global fuel and fertiliser crisis driven by the conflict in the Middle East will force farmers to rethink how they use fertilisers and accelerate uptake of newer, more efficient techniques, according to Charlie Ireland, agronomist at Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm
Ireland, managing partner at rural consultancy Ceres Rural, was speaking at the Cereals Crop Plot Day, a centrepiece of The Cereals Event, which Diddly Squat Farm is scheduled to host on 10-11 June 2026.
He warned that rising fuel and fertiliser prices are creating “very difficult decisions” for arable growers and could have serious consequences if supply disruptions escalate.
Syngenta sees double-digit growth in biologicals in 2025, makes ‘no final decision’ on IPO
The crop protection and seed giant is registering strong demand for its biologicals, as the company expects crop protection and seed markets to stabilise in 2026
Syngenta released its full-year 2025 results, with biologicals remaining a hot growth area despite sales slipping slightly year-over-year, as the ag giant makes no comment about a potential IPO amid speculation.
The crop protection and seed company registered $28.4 billion in its 2025 FY, ending Dec. 31, 2025, declining 1% from the previous year, the company shared in its financial reporting. However, Syngenta sales in the fourth quarter picked up, hitting $7.6 billion and increasing 2% from the same quarter last year.
Corteva names CEOs, executive teams for spin-off companies
Corteva inches closer to its eventual split, announcing CEOs and executive teams for spin-off companies, SpinCo and New Corteva
Crop protection and seed supplier Corteva named the CEOs and executives to its two spin-off companies, as it works to finalize the split later this year, the company shared in three separate announcements on April 14.
Last October, Corteva announced plans to split its crop protection and seed business into New Corteva and SpinCo, respectively, as AgTechNavigator reported. The spinoff is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026, and both executive teams are scheduled to appear at an investor day scheduled for September 15 at the New York Stock Exchange.
Why fertilizer prices could remain high into 2027
Farmers around the world are feeling the impact of the Iran war in higher fertilizer prices – which could remain elevated even after a peace deal
The fertilizer supply chain is expected to remain volatile for most of this year, with phosphate prices projected to remain high into 2027, as growers around the world debate applications heading into their growing seasons, according to agri-finance company Rabobank’s Semiannual fertilizer outlook.
The U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran has quickly led to sharp increases in fertilizer prices, with nitrogen and phosphates being particularly impacted, while potash pricing has remained neutral, according to Rabobank. Approximately 0.8 million metric tons of fertilizers and precursors are estimated to be removed from the market each month if the Strait of Hormuz is closed.
Iran war’s long tail: Why crop protection prices could mirror fertilizer shocks
The U.S. might have been spared the blunt of high fertilizer prices, but Australia, India, and Brazil might not be so lucky
The agriculture industry continues to grapple with the fallout of the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran, with farmers around the world bracing for higher fertilizer prices, as crop protection products could see similar volatility as the war drags on, Rabobank shared in a recent webinar.
Many U.S. farmers already purchased and applied fertilizer for the 2026/27 season, getting ahead of the supply chain shock, said Stephen Nicholson, North American head of crops. The Gulf supplied the U.S. with 17% of its urea and 20% of its DAP/MAP in 2023, with the Strait of Hormuz being a crucial supply chain chokepoint, according to the North Dakota State University.
‘It’s not actually rocket science,’ PepsiCo discusses how to make regen ag work
PepsiCo’s regen ag strategy starts with understanding farmers’ top concerns
Whether working to boost sustainable farming in Brazil or decarbonizing crop production in Europe, PepsiCo starts these regenerative agriculture projects at the same point — by first understanding farmers’ concerns and what they need to thrive in today’s volatile market.
PepsiCo works with farmers to understand their specific needs in their local environment, whether it’s sourcing biological inputs or compost, Margaret Henry, VP of sustainable and regenerative agriculture for PepsiCo, told AgTechNavigator during an interview at the 2026 edition of World Agri-Tech San Francisco.
Agentic AI in the spotlight at World Agri-Tech as industry grapples with new power dynamics
At San Francisco’s flagship ag innovation summit, excitement over agentic AI mixed with urgency around data quality, decision intelligence, and the shifting role of human expertise
The mood at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in San Francisco was unmistakable: agentic AI has arrived, and the global ag-food sector is bracing for a consequential shift.
Across panel discussions, private roundtables, and corridor conversations, anticipation and enthusiasm ran high, as speakers framed agentic AI as a transformative force capable of unlocking new frontiers of agricultural innovation and reshaping decision-making across the value chain.
John Deere to pay $99m in right-to-repair settlement, amid ongoing FTC litigation
The ag machinery giant settles one right-to-repair case, as the tractor maker works to close another
John Deere has settled a court case involving the company and an antitrust complaint stemming from repair policies, closing the case with no findings of wrongdoing and an agreement to pay $99 million through a fund. However, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) faces similar allegations in separate cases.
In 2022, “Re: Deere & Co. Repair Services Antitrust Litigation” consolidated 18 lawsuits and class actions against John Deere in the Northern District of Illinois. The case alleged that John Deere violated Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by monopolizing the repair service market and working with dealers to withhold information that farmers or shops could use to repair their equipment, according to The National Agricultural Law Center.