Greenway Equipment Hosts Arkansas’ First Public Demo of John Deere Fully-Autonomous Tractor

NEWPORT, AR – Last week, Greenway Equipment made history by hosting Arkansas’s first public demonstration of John Deere’s Fully-Autonomous 8R Tractor at its Tech Farm here.  The event brought together rice farmers, industry leaders, local legislators, and media to witness cutting-edge technology designed to transform rice production. 

Rice producers face unique challenges from labor shortages during critical planting and harvest windows to managing flooded fields efficiently.  Greenway’s Technology Showcase emphasized how automation and precision agriculture solutions can directly address these concerns.  

The highlight of the event was a live demonstration of the 8R autonomous tractor navigating independently.  Equipped with 16 roof-mounted cameras, the tractor can map its environment with 360-degree vision to safely and precisely perform tasks without an operator onboard.  The demonstration underscored potential applications for rice growers, such as autonomous tillage and field preparation in wet conditions, and the ability to reallocate limited labor to more specialized tasks during peak planting and harvest seasons.  With many rice operations spread across multiple counties, autonomy could also reduce the need to move equipment operators from farm to farm. 

“Rice farming demands precision and timeliness, especially during planting and irrigation management.  This event gave local producers the chance to see how autonomous tractors and digital ag tools can improve efficiency and reduce labor pressure during those key times,” said Bill Midkiff, CEO of Greenway Equipment.  “Our goal is to help rice growers increase yields and environmental stewardship through smarter technology, saving both time and inputs.”

Greenway also showcased John Deere’s AutoPath™ and AutoTrac™ Turn Automation systems, which allow equipment to follow optimized paths reducing overlap and soil compaction in paddy fields.  The company’s experts provided insights into how integrating these technologies through the John Deere Operations Center™ software gives producers detailed data to monitor field conditions and make informed decisions.

With the rice industry continuing to modernize to meet global demand and environmental goals, events like this highlight the practical tools available to sustain productivity and conservation.  Greenway Equipment’s investment in demonstrating these advances reinforces its commitment to supporting the region’s rice growers through innovation tailored specifically to their unique needs.