For Your Consideration: John Deere’s Short Video Series

NEVER LOSING SIGHT OF WHAT MATTERS MOST
THIS IS HOW LIFE LEAPS FORWARD

As far as Silicon Valley startup stories go, Igino Cafiero’s ought to sound both improbable and strangely familiar: A brilliant engineer setting up shop in his garage to change the world. And succeeds.

In just five years, the founder of Bear Flag Robotics was providing driverless tilling services across the country to farmers struggling to find skilled labor. Today, Bear Flag is a John Deere company helping the Moline-based farming technology giant lead the way in driverless technology. And helping life leap forward for us all.


BUILDING THE WORLD 1.2 INCHES AT A TIME
THIS IS HOW LIFE LEAPS FORWARD

Harnessing the power of satellites 10,000 miles above earth to guide booms, blades and buckets as they cut beneath the earth. Within the accuracy of 1.2 inches – less than the height of a golf ball. See how Deere’s SmartGrade team is leading the way in Precision Construction and helping customers offset skilled labor shortage while making job sites safer for everyone.

ALWAYS THINKING AHEAD
THIS IS HOW LIFE LEAPS FORWARD

A behind-the-scenes look at how Deere’s Silicon Valley-based Blue River division is programming robots to slash farmer’s chemical use by 90 percent. Sprayers equipped with eyes can now distinguish between plants and weeds and spray accordingly with astonishing accuracy. Boosting farmer profits while lowering their runoff and carbon emissions.

FREEING GROWERS TO DO MORE
THIS IS HOW LIFE LEAPS FORWARD

John Deere believes sustainable farming begins with sustaining farmers. A group perhaps hardest hit by the world’s skilled labor shortage. Which is why Deere is investing in people like Igino Cafiero like never never before. This second Bear Flag video focuses on the very real human need for driverless tractor technology.

RUNNING AS ONE
THIS IS HOW LIFE LEAPS FORWARD

Ordinarily a hackathon conjures up a cut-throat race to the finish, where every competitor is on their own. But when Ray Liu proposed an idea that could fundamentally improve the lives of farmers this John Deere hackathon became a group effort. Everyone rallied to build this technology that allows farmers to follow identical paths in their fields – at different times of the year. From tilling, to seeding, to fertilizing to crop protecting. This story focuses on how an entire division rallied behind one man’s vision and brought it to market in record time.

HELPING A FAMILY HEAL
THIS IS HOW LIFE LEAPS FORWARD

For many of the folks at Deere, “Running So Life Can Leap Forward” means more than simply contributing to a good cause. Instead, it means putting boots on the ground. We couldn’t think of a better embodiment of Purpose than the four self-described Deere desk jockeys who drove 12 hours to work side by side with a North Dakota farming family in need. The four men never met before volunteering for Farm Rescue, which helps farmers in times of illness or injury. We hope this story not only celebrates their remarkable selfless efforts but inspires others to do the same.

RUNNING FOR EACH OTHER
THIS IS HOW LIFE LEAPS FORWARD

When a Covid variant threatened the production lines of a key John Deere parts supplier, dozens of Deere employees volunteered to temporarily move to North Dakota and take over the supplier’s third shift. Their dedication not only kept Deere’s supplier running, it also kept production lines at home running. “What we’re really making up here is job security for our teammates,” one volunteer said.

We Run So That Life Can Leap Forward

Eight simple words that define John Deere’s higher purpose.

Lived out by over 50,000 teammates around the world. People who never stop running to make life better for us all. This series of short videos aims to celebrate those who live out Deere’s higher purpose and inspire others to do the same.

We traveled through the country to capture these stories aimed at the internal audience and our communities. From a team of self-described desk jockeys who helped save a family farm to dozens of Deere workers who kept a key supplier running to the relentless purposeful innovations taking place every day.

These are just a handful of the 50,000 stories taking place throughout Deere every day. A small, but inspirational, example of how we’re helping life leap forward.