Tony Kramer: Hi, I’m Tony Kramer, your host of the Agriculture Technology Podcast. In this episode, we’re going to talk about model year 2027 Precision Upgrade Kits, or PUKs, and the Early Order Program window that is about to open.
I don’t have a guest with me today. It’s just me. If you haven’t listened to it already, I encourage you to go back to Episode 232 from May, titled “Model Year 2027 PUK Updates,” where we talk in depth about everything new that’s coming.
This is going to be a quick recap. We’ll talk about the Early Order Program opening November 2 and get you thinking about potential equipment or technology upgrades you might want to make on your farm this offseason.
I guess that’s if you have an offseason. Those of you in other parts of the United States, especially the southern regions, don’t necessarily have much downtime. Either way, this episode should get your gears turning about some of the available options.
I should preface this by saying that the information applies to the United States and Canada. I can’t speak to what is available in other countries. If you’re listening from outside the United States or Canada, I encourage you to contact your local John Deere dealership. They should be able to provide more information about precision upgrade ordering and the programs available in your country or region.
I want to start with autonomy and the autonomous tillage solution for autonomy-capable tractors.
One of the big updates is that we’re getting three additional tillage tools for the model year 2027 lineup. John Deere is bringing the 2730 Combination Ripper and five-section 2430 Chisel Plow into the lineup, along with the smaller, two-section configuration of the 2680H High-Performance Disk.
We’ve already had compatibility with model year 2023 and newer 2680H disks ranging from 25 to 45 feet. Now, John Deere is expanding that compatibility to the smaller, 15- to 24-foot, two-section configuration of the 2680H.
On the tractor side, compatibility is staying largely the same. That includes model year 2020.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors, as well as model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors.
We’re told that John Deere is also working on solutions for high-horsepower versions of the 8R, 8RX, 9R and 9RX tractors. Those should be coming in the future, along with compatibility for the 2330 Mulch Finisher. There aren’t any dates for those additions yet, but John Deere is working on those solutions.
The big additions for the model year 2027 order period are the 2730 Combination Ripper, the five-section 2430 Chisel Plow and the smaller, two-section configuration of the 2680H.
Jumping over to planters, all the existing Precision Upgrade Kit options are still available.
The Ultimate Row Unit Upgrade replaces everything from the planter bar back, depending on the option codes and how the kit is ordered. If you’re looking to overhaul or maintain an older planter, the Ultimate Row Unit Upgrade can provide new row units, shanks, parallel linkage and other components.
Meter-only upgrades are also still available. If you have a model year 2015 or newer John Deere planter with MaxEmerge 5 row units and want to upgrade to MaxEmerge 5e or ExactEmerge, you have that ability.
Keep in mind that many of these upgrades require SeedStar 5. We want to make sure the tractor is prepared with an implement Ethernet connection and a G5 display in the cab, whether that’s a G5 CommandCenter display or a G5 Universal display.
A couple of other neat additions are the Easy Adjust Row Cleaners and pneumatic closing wheels. These are now available as modular, standalone Precision Upgrade Kits. Previously, they had to be paired with a row-unit or meter upgrade. Now they can be ordered separately.
ExactShot is also available for MaxEmerge 5e. Whether you have the electric-drive MaxEmerge 5e or ExactEmerge, you can add ExactShot fertilizer technology.
As a reminder, ExactShot is a fertilizer system that doses product directly onto the seed. It can also be adjusted to place products between the seeds. For example, a product such as Xyway fungicide can be applied between the seeds using the ExactShot system.
The big planter update for model year 2027 is Downforce Automation powered by FurrowVision.
If you have a planter equipped with FurrowVision cameras and lasers, you can purchase a license to use Downforce Automation. This feature automates downforce and makes adjustments using FurrowVision hardware.
You’ll need FurrowVision and individual-row hydraulic downforce. Both the first- and second-generation individual-row hydraulic downforce systems are compatible. Downforce Automation is one of the major planter updates coming for model year 2027.
Next, let’s talk about air seeders.
The big new Precision Upgrade Kit for air seeders is RelativeFlow blockage monitoring. This gives operators the ability to install a RelativeFlow blockage system on older tools, including machines that might only have primary blockage monitoring or no blockage monitoring at all.
AccuRate meters are also still available. John Deere launched the AccuRate meter a couple of years ago, giving operators the ability to add electric-drive meters to 1910 air carts dating back to 2005.
Whether an air cart has ground-drive or hydraulic-drive meters, it can be updated with AccuRate electric-drive meters.
You can also add EZCal, eliminating bag calibrations and the need to climb underneath the cart or use a fish scale. With EZCal and the G5e cart-side display, you can press the calibrate button, walk away to finish another task and return when the air cart is calibrated.
There are a lot of great features and benefits available with those upgrades.
Moving into sprayers, one of the new model year 2027 options is a front-mounted camera kit. This moves the cameras from the rear mainframe, just behind the tires and wheels, to the front of the sprayer.
Individual Nozzle Control Pro compatibility is also expanding to older 4730 and 4830 sprayers with 80- and 90-foot booms.
The other existing upgrade kits are still available. These include Product Recirculation and Reclaim, BoomTrac Pro 2, Individual Nozzle Control Pro and ExactApply nozzles.
There are also several model year 2027 updates specific to See & Spray. These include the front-mounted cameras and new See & Spray license options.
One update that has generated a lot of excitement is the addition of fallow applications to the base offering. Fallow means spraying green weeds on brown ground in a non-crop situation. There is no per-acre license for that application because it is now included in the base offering.
Another update that people are excited about is a software unlock that expands targeted herbicide applications to edible beans, peanuts, sugar beets, milo, canola, barley and wheat.
For barley and wheat, the system will target broadleaf weeds only. It will not target grass weeds within those grass crops.
Another exciting model year 2027 addition is See & Scout. This will provide the ability to generate weed-pressure and crop-canopy maps while making a broadcast application.
Traditionally, the system would only generate a weed-pressure map when See & Spray was active. Many users asked whether they could generate that map while making a residual application in broadcast mode.
They might not be using See & Spray during that application, but they still want to see the weed-pressure map. I can tell you that capability is coming for model year 2027. There are some very exciting things happening there.
Moving into combines, Precision Upgrade Kits will provide the ability to upgrade technology packages.
Beginning with model year 2025, combines were available with Select, Premium and Ultimate technology packages. Those packages revolved around Harvest Settings Automation and Predictive Ground Speed Automation.
When those packages first came out, they weren’t upgradable. The combine had to be ordered from the factory with a specific technology package, and that package couldn’t be added or upgraded after the fact.
That is no longer true.
Moving into model year 2027, if you have a combine built with a Select or Premium technology package, you can upgrade it to the Ultimate technology package.
That could include adding forward-facing cameras and gaining the ability to use Predictive Ground Speed Automation. If you have a machine with the Select package and only want to add Harvest Settings Automation, you can upgrade it to the Premium package.
This is an exciting opportunity to add technology packages to machines that might not have them today. It provides another solution whether you’re shopping for used equipment and find a machine that doesn’t quite have the technology you want, or you already own a machine with a Premium package and would like to add Predictive Ground Speed Automation.
The other combine upgrades are still available, including Cross Auger Shutoff, the Adjustable End Spout and Auto Unload.
Auto Unload is another great technology that uses Machine Sync and adds a camera to the unloading auger. It allows the combine to position the grain cart during unloading. The combine operator still turns the unloading auger on and off, but the system moves the grain cart forward or backward as needed.
We also shouldn’t forget the Precision Essentials kit, which falls within the broader Precision Upgrade Kit offering.
The Precision Essentials kit provides a G5 Universal display, a StarFire 7500 receiver and a JDLink modem for machine connectivity. This technology can be installed on different machines, including older equipment.
Earlier, I mentioned the need for a G5 display when using a SeedStar 5 planter. The Precision Essentials kit can be a great solution for an older tractor that needs to operate a SeedStar 5 planter.
That’s all I have for you today. As I said, this was a quick recap ahead of the Precision Upgrade Kit Early Order Program opening.
We wanted to share this information and remind listeners about Episode 232 from May 2026, where we discussed these updates in greater depth.
Start thinking about what you might want to change. Is there something you can upgrade on your planter or air seeder? Do you want to add See & Spray technology to the sprayer you already have?
Whatever it may be, I encourage you to start thinking about it. Talk with your dealer, salesperson or precision ag specialist. Work with the person you rely on for this type of technology and develop a plan.
As we move through harvest, this is probably the best time to think about these upgrades. Whether you’re running a potato harvester, beet harvester, combine or another type of harvesting equipment, you’re covering every acre and seeing the conditions across your operation.
That gives you an opportunity to think about the options available and what you can do to improve your operation for next year.
With that, thank you very much for listening. We’ll see you on the next one.
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