Press Release   June 10, 2024

X9 Combine Harvester triumphs in the 1000-tonne challenge

Crestmead, Queensland (10 June, 2024) – John Deere has put one of its most efficient and intelligent machines to the Australian harvest test, to achieve a 1000-tonne challenge in a single day as part of a dedicated four-part docuseries that has attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers from across the globe.

"Harvest X" captures the journey of a John Deere X9 1100 Combine Harvester striving towards the bold challenge in a wheat crop in Victoria's Wimmera region last December, recording the entire process on camera and under the watchful eyes of fifth-generation farmers and contractors Chris and Dale Bartlett.

Bartlett Brothers Harvesting runs a fleet including John Deere S-Series Combine Harvesters, with Chris and Dale also continuing the 150-year-old family tradition of growing wheat at Pimpinio and nearby Dimboola, where Harvest X took place.

The 2023-24 harvest season was one of the toughest in recent memory and as the X9 arrived Chris was skeptical it would be able to harvest 1000 tonnes in a day given highly challenging conditions.

"I'm keen to see what this X9 can do," he said.

"This year has probably been one of the best crops we've grown, but we've come to December with the worst conditions.

Dale reiterated how challenging the harvest conditions would be.

"It's probably the wettest December for harvest days I've seen in my career," he said.

With a four-day window set aside for the attempt, the challenge got off to a shaky start with the first day rained out. On day two, temperatures soared into the high 30s, helping to dry out the crop, but it triggered a fire ban for day three, again stalling the attempt.

The John Deere team, led by Production Systems Manager, Ben Kelly, launched into the challenge on the final day, with John Deere 8RX 370 and 9R 490 tractors and chaser bins supporting the effort.

"1000 tonnes is a huge benchmark to hit," Ben said.

"The main things we want to look at are maximising the tonnes per hour, keeping grain loss below one per cent, maintaining a good cut height and spread width for next season's seeding, and achieving efficiency and fuel economy because the X9 not only has a greater capacity than the S790, it also uses 20% less fuel."

The Harvest X journey was published to John Deere's YouTube and Facebook channels in four instalments across April and May 2024. To date, the series has recorded more than 650,000 views.

"We have been blown away by the response to Harvest X," Mr Kelly said.

"There has been so much interest in the challenge, the machine and the results, which we were monitoring in the field in real-time through John Deere Operations Center™.

"We would like to thank Chris and Dale Bartlett for their hospitality in helping us offer a glimpse of the realities of farming and harvest in Australia's unique conditions, the shortening windows for harvest and the capabilities of the X9.

"It really has been a team effort and the X9 proved how exceptional it is even in the toughest of real-world conditions."

Harvest X data:

Tonnes harvested: 1000
Throughput: 72t/hr
Harvesting time: 13:53.12
Total time: 15:03,04 (including downtime)
Average yield: 5.1 t/ha
Average moisture: 10.2%
Area harvested: 196ha
Losses: 0.7%
Productivity: 14.1ha/hr
Total fuel: 1,598l
Fuel efficiency: 1.6t/l
Fuel per hectare: 8.2l/ha
Temperature range: 13.1 – 23.8 degrees Celsius
Humidity range: 48%-92%

To watch Harvest X go to the John Deere Australia and New Zealand YouTube channel here.

About John Deere:

Deere & Company is a global leader in the delivery of agricultural, golf & turf, construction, and forestry equipment. We help our customers push the boundaries of what's possible in ways that are more productive and sustainable to help life leap forward. Our technology-enabled products including the John Deere Autonomous 8R Tractor and See & Spray™ are just two of the ways we help meet the world's increasing need for food, shelter, and infrastructure. Deere & Company also provides financial services through John Deere Financial. For more information, visit John Deere at its worldwide website at JohnDeere.com or in New Zealand at JohnDeere.co.nz.

Media enquiries:

Matt Wordsworth
matt.wordsworth@bluehillpr.com.au
0404 029 241