Todd Westerfeld is a fifth generation wheat, corn and cotton farmer in Moody, Texas, a job that often requires 16 hour days, especially during planting and harvest seasons.
Only he, his father work and another relative plant, cultivate and harvest 5,500 acres, working year-round to out-guess storms, frost and drought.
Despite yeoman’s work by the three, along with limited part-time help, Westerfeld says he has no regrets.
It is a risky business but one he grew up enjoying. Even if a a crop fails, or a family emergency limits his hours on the job, he has remained an optimist. “There’s always a silver lining no matter had bad things get,” he says. “You have to learn to harp on the silver lining.”
For Westerfield, 36, the silver lining can be as simple as a perfect rain on planted fields or a glorious sunrise. “It makes me want to do it all again.”
Westerfeld appeared at the premiere John Deere Tech Summit in Austin earlier this week to describe the value of modern precise ag technology but also to remind the world how important farming remains. The bumper sticker, “If you ate today, thank a farmer,” has not exactly cut it.
“People think food comes from a store,” he said in an interview. “Farming is discounted. People are out of touch.”
Available farmland is diminishing while the global population and need for food is soaring, making the farmer’s role more important than ever.
One advantage Westerfeld holds over many farmers is his college degree in computer science. His tech insights help him be more open to new software and tech approaches to vet new concepts, like new autonomous tractors coming from Deere.
Data insights from Deere have helped, he said. “2011, ‘16, ‘18 and ’22 were corn disasters,” he recalls. With prior years of data including from the disastrous years, Westerfeld said he can better predict when to plant crops during a frantic 10-day period. One day can make a difference between success and disaster.
The data he relies upon is based on readings of multiple sensor inputs from fields, combined with weather histories and other insights. His Deere tractor contains sensors that show its positioning enabled with GPS. The entire farm is 8 miles long from north to south, meaning soil conditions can vary.
When Deere increased the speed and accuracy of planters several years ago, it allowed the Westerfeld team to plant faster, keeping within a critical window.
Such innovations will continue at Deere, including with more precise insights about soil composition- to improve crop yields. In a separate example, ExactShot was unveiled at CES 2023 to allow precise fertilizing of seeds just as they are planted, designed to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers by 60%.
RELATED: Gigantic and smart machines took the CES 2023 stage
As much as Westerfeld admires how Deere has helped his farm through the years, he is skeptical at how easy it will be to ask farmers to buy new autonomous tractor tech Deere unveiled a year ago and has deployed on some Midwestern farms. Autonomous features can be added to newer tractor models and a new tractor can cost upwards of $500,000. ( By comparison, his farm spends $2 million a year in operating expenses, including seeds.)
“The price point scares farmers,” Westerfeld said. “It’s a very big investment. No way you’ll jump there.”
One way Westerfeld’s family had adapted to high capital costs for farming equipment is to keep current with tech updates. “Upgrading is worth it for us,” he says.