John Deere Joins Forces with The Reservoir to Boost AgTech Innovation
Slice of Agriculture Team
08/22/2025
Key highlights
- John Deere named exclusive OEM partner for The Reservoir’s Salinas facility and future locations
- Focus on high-value crops (HVCs) to address labor shortages and increase sustainability
- Partnership enables early access to startups and field-tested agtech solutions
Source: Direct
Notable Quotes
“ We view high-value crops as an important growth area for agriculture... built to last. ”
Sean Sundberg, Business Integration Manager at John Deere
“ John Deere’s investment in the Reservoir is a vital strategic step... thrive thanks to this kind of collaborative effort. ”
Walt Duflock, SVP of Innovation at Western Growers
“ John Deere brings trusted technology... in service of our food system. ”
Danny Bernstein, CEO at The Reservoir
Why This Matters
This strategic collaboration positions John Deere and The Reservoir at the forefront of high-value crop innovation. By combining Deere’s deep industry knowledge and advanced equipment with The Reservoir’s hands-on startup ecosystem and field R&D capabilities, the initiative addresses critical challenges like labor shortages and sustainability. It also reinforces the importance of localized innovation infrastructure, ensuring solutions are scalable and practical for real-world farming environments. This marks a pivotal step in modernizing specialty agriculture and strengthening U.S. leadership in food production technology.
