An Agricultural Acquisition in the Golden State

John Deere has acquired GUSS Automation, a Kingsburg-based company making autonomous sprayers for orchards and vineyards. The deal builds on a 2022 joint venture and targets growers’ pain points: labor, input costs, and crop protection.

“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,” said Julien Le Vely. According to a release from the company, GUSS sprayers use GPS, LiDAR, and proprietary software so one operator can supervise up to eight machines—reducing errors, labor costs, and waste. To date, more than 250 machines have sprayed 2.6 million acres over 500,000 autonomous hours.

GUSS will keep its name, brand, and manufacturing facility, and sprayers will continue to be sold and serviced exclusively through John Deere dealers. John Deere says it will expand GUSS’ reach and integrate tools like Smart Apply®, enabling targeted spraying with the opportunity for up to 50% savings on chemicals and water.