Aussie Know-how Key to Header and Harvester Enhancements for 2026

John Deere has announced new automation and efficiency updates on 2026 model combine harvesters that are capable of boosting productivity by up to 20%* on Australian farms.

Designed with farmer input, the new features, announced at Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado, focus on maximising harvest productivity in a range of conditions, and are designed to deliver more with less operator intervention.

“These updates will unlock the full potential of the John Deere combine harvester, whether it’s anticipating crop variability, fine-tuning weed detection sensing or improving the grain unloading experience,” Royce Bell, John Deere Australia and New Zealand Production and Precision Ag Marketing Manager, said.

“They are designed to help farmers to fully optimise working time in tight harvest windows.”

Harvest Automation Updates

The updates work to create a smoother harvesting experience and enable less skilled operators to maximise crop quality and include:

• Ground speed will automatically adjust to varying field terrain such as waterways and non-cropped areas in the field to maintain harvest progress. Operators previously had to disengage the Predictive Ground Speed Automation feature in sensitive areas.
• Predictive Ground Speed Automation now supports edible beans and lentils, as well as the current crops of peas, wheat, barley, canola, soybean and corn.
• Cab-mounted cameras used for Predictive Ground Speed Automation can now sense individual weed patches that are mixed in with the crop by detecting weed-like characteristics of plant shape and height. Depending on the weed density and operator-defined sensitivity, the combine will reduce ground speed as it harvests through these areas to reduce slugging and help prevent reel or rotor wrapping.
• John Deere Operations Center^TM will automatically send harvest automation files, including crop data from planting, so that satellite views of Predictive Ground Speed Automation are available on all eligible harvesters.

Harvest Settings Automation sets concave clearance, fan speed, rotor speed, sieve clearance and chaff clearance, based on the harvester model, crop type and geolocation.

Harvest Settings Automation also now includes an out-of-crop setting that engages when the harvester is passing through areas already harvested, helping to reduce grain loss and maintain a cleaner tank sample in sparse areas of the field.

Productivity Enhancements

The 2026 model range incorporates updates designed to enhance productivity with less operator intervention, ensuring harvest quality is maintained regardless of operator experience.

• AutoTrac™ Turn Automation provides hands-free turning, by automatically raising and lowering the machine front as it crosses specific field triggers. This update reduces the likelihood of missing a crop or starting a new pass in the wrong place, and also benefits operators harvesting at night with poor visibility.
• A new auto-unload camera mounted to the auger, along with supporting hardware and software, helps to evenly fill the grain cart, reducing pressure on operators during unloading. The camera senses the grain fill level inside the cart and sends in-line nudge commands to the tractor. This feature is also available as a precision upgrade for older-model combines.

Gaining More Insights

Following successful trials in Australia’s unique conditions, operators can now monitor harvest with at-a-glance views on their mobile device thanks to updates available through Operations Center. These include:

• Grain Sensing with HarvestLab™ 3000, previously only available on S700 harvesters, has been extended to all model year 2021 and newer X9 harvesters plus the new S7 and T6 models. Grain Sensing collects and records the percentages of crop moisture, protein, starch and oil content of wheat, barley, canola, corn, soybeans, oats and rye crops.
• Grain harvest weight sharing shows how much grain is in harvesters and chaser bins, so that the bins are in the right place at the right time.

To ensure reliable capture of field and machine data, John Deere will offer JDLink ® Boost™ in Australia from mid-2025. This satellite connectivity solution ensures customers can work in fields with little to no cellular coverage. 

The field-installed kit allows machines to transmit data in real time and better supports remote display access, which reduces the time taken to diagnose a machine issue.

New front-end equipment optimises crop capture

To ensure customers capture as much crop as possible, John Deere has also released a new three-piece CAM reel with dense pack fingers, designed for optimal performance when harvesting challenging crops such as pulses.

The innovative design features 32% more tines compared to previous flip-over reels, providing an efficient sweep from the knife to maximise grain capture, particularly in lodged crops.

In-cab Upgrades

John Deere has taken on board customer feedback and introduced new in-cab upgrades.

A new instructor ‘stadium’ seat will be included in all 2026 harvesters. When not in use, the seat flips up and the back can be folded down to serve as a shelf.

A dual USB-C charging module has been installed in the new models, to charge batteries quickly for mobile devices.

To find the header that best suits your operation and determine which updates are available for 2025 models or available on 2026 models, contact your local John Deere dealer or visit deere.com.au.

*Results from using optional Ultimate Technology Package. Anonymised John Deere Operations Center™ data gathered in soybeans, corn, and small grains. Performance varies based on machine size and field and crop conditions.