John Deere has fully acquired GUSS Automation, a maker of autonomous sprayers for vineyards and orchards, headquartered in Kingsburg, California.
The acquisition builds on an existing joint venture established in 2022 and advances John Deere’s commitment to helping high-value crop growers address their biggest challenges around labor availability, input costs and crop protection.
Julien Le Vely, director, production systems, high value and small acre crops, at John Deere, says: “Fully integrating GUSS into the John Deere portfolio is a continuation of our dedication to serving high-value crop customers with advanced, scalable technologies to help them do more with less.
“GUSS brings a proven solution to a fast-growing segment of agriculture, and its team has a deep understanding of customer needs in orchards and vineyards. We’re excited to have them fully part of the John Deere team.”
Founded by Dave Crinklaw in 2018, GUSS manufactures autonomous sprayers that can be remotely supervised by a single operator who can manage up to eight machines at once.
Using GPS, LiDAR and proprietary software, GUSS machines navigate vineyards and orchards with precision to help reduce operator error, labor costs and material waste.
To date, more than 250 GUSS machines have been deployed globally, accounting for 2.6 million acres sprayed over 500,000 autonomous hours.
GUSS sprayers will continue to be sold and serviced exclusively through John Deere dealers, as they are today. The business will retain its name, brand, employees and manufacturing facility in Kingsburg, California.
John Deere will support GUSS in expanding its global reach and accelerating innovation, including continued integration with other John Deere precision agriculture technologies, such as Smart Apply, which enables targeted spraying that offers the opportunity for up to 50% savings on chemical and water use.
Gary Thompson, chief operations officer at GUSS, says: “Joining John Deere enables us to tap into their unmatched innovative capabilities in precision agriculture technologies to bring our solutions to more growers around the world.
“Our team is passionate about helping high-value crop growers increase their efficiency and productivity in their operations, and together with John Deere, we will have the ability to have an even greater impact.”
GUSS’ manufacturing operations expand John Deere’s US manufacturing footprint to the heart of the country’s high-value crop production market. GUSS sprayers will continue to use John Deere Power Systems engines, first integrated in 2024.
