New John Deere Tractor Line For Vineyards And Orchards
March 1, 2008 
John Deere recently introduced a new line of tractors, the first the 170-year-old company has built from the ground up for vineyards and orchards. The move into specialty crops — the company also showed off a tractor that can be employed in nurseries and greenhouses — is a significant new departure for Deere, said Owen Frederic, product marketing manager. “In the past we’d take a standard utility tractor and modify it for the winegrape or orchard business,” he said. “These have been designed from day one for the orchard and vineyard environment.”
The new tractors were unveiled last month, appropriately enough, at Landmark Vineyards in Sonoma County, CA, a vineyard owned by Deere’s great, great, great grandson, Mike Colhoun. There are three tractors in the “F” (for Fruit) line, the 76F, 85F, and the 100F, with the model numbers roughly corresponding to the tractor’s horsepower. A fourth tractor, the 20A, can also be used in orchards and vineyards, but is intended primarily for nurseries and greenhouses.
The tractors, which were built in Italy in conjunction with Goldoni, are intended to provide superior maneuverability, traction, and braking. “A low profile cab is available on all F-series models,” said Frederic, noting that’s advantageous in orchards with low-hanging fruit. “These tractors are designed with an excellent turning radius and a low center of gravity. The 76F tractor is only 53 inches wide and the 85F and 100F tractors are only 57 inches wide, for exceptional maneuverability in orchards and specialty crop operations.”
For more information, check out this Web site: www.JohnDeere.com/Ag.
