Harvest Optimization company, Bushel Plus has entered into strategic partnership with agritech giant John Deere to expand access of its Bushel Plus SmartPan System to US and Canadian farmers. The integration connects Bushel Plus’ technology with John Deere’s Harvest Settings Automation for more accurate combine calibration.
The partnership is aimed at helping farmers reduce grain loss, improve harvest efficiency, and support data-driven machine adjustments. The farmers will be able to gain access to SmartPan through authorized Deere dealers in the US and Canada, accompanied with planned joint training for 2026.
This partnership is an important step for us to give our customers access and training to use the SmartPan System in combination with the Harvest Settings Automation technology, giving producers the tools they need to reduce harvest losses and make data‑driven decisions with confidence
John Deere’s Harvest Settings Automation adjusts key combine settings such as rotor speed, fan speed, concave spacing, and sieve and chaffer positions in real time based on limits set by the operator for grain loss, damaged grain, and unwanted material.
The Bushel Plus SmartPan System works alongside this automation by supplying the actual loss measurements needed to set and calibrate these limits. By providing consistent field data, the SmartPan System helps operators refine their machine settings to improve efficiency and reduce loss during harvesting.
By collecting and calculating real bushels-per-acre losses, the SmartPan System gives farmers a way to check and confirm the machine’s automated adjustments. This helps ensure that the combine’s loss targets and settings match what is happening in the field.
Scaling Harvest Optimization Accessibility
Farmers can release the SmartPan at any moment during harvest to capture an accurate loss sample, compare it with John Deere G5Plus display, and fine-tune their machine settings accordingly. Harvest Settings Automation then makes ongoing adjustments as crop and field conditions change, aiming to maintain productivity while keeping losses within the limit set by the operator.
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Under the partnership agreement John Deere dealers across the US and Canada will be authorized to sell and support the SmartPan System, to streamline access through the same trusted dealer network they rely on for combine sales, service, and technology integration. According to Bushel Plus, customers report that the system is delivering tangible value and profitability, and with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) endorsement, the idea that ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure’ reaches a whole new level.
John Deere’s commitment to innovation, as the world’s largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment, aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver market-leading harvest optimization solutions and technology. This milestone showcases our team’s global efforts and the trust farmers place in our technology.
John Deere’s dealer-led distribution will ensure wide access, timely support, and seamless integration of the Bushel Plus SmartPan System with its existing combine technology. For 2026, Bushel Plus and John Deere plan to offer joint training, in-field demos, and educational sessions to help operators understand how the SmartPan System works with automation to improve harvest precision.
Data Convergence for Precision Farming
The Bushel Plus SmartPan System is designed to support a wide range of crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, canola, barley, rice, and milo and is available in 20-inch, 40-inch, and 60-inch pan sizes to suit various John Deere combine models, stubble conditions, and header widths.
According to Bushel Plus CEO Marcel Kringe, seed-to-harvest precision is only as reliable as the data informing it. Through the partnership with John Deere, the company aims to create a more seamless flow of information between field measurements and machine analytics, helping farmers refine combine calibration and automation for more efficient harvesting, reduced grain loss, and improved overall performance.
Bushel Plus’ partnership with John Deere reinforces the broader move toward data-verified, automated harvesting. By combining SmartPan’s ground-truth loss measurements with Deere’s real-time Harvest Settings Automation, farmers can achieve more accurate calibration, reduced losses, and greater operational efficiency. The collaboration also reflects an ongoing shift toward precision farming that increasingly depends on bringing real-world field data into closer alignment with automated machine adjustments.
