John Deere have paid tribute to Australian farmers in a new marketing video, claiming the recent pandemic has highlighted the role Australian farmers play in the country's reliable supply of safe and nutritious food.
John Deere Australia managing director Peter Wanckel said the video celebrated the unwavering hard work and commitment of agricultural and regional communities.
"Despite these being such challenging times, it has been truly heartening to see the effort and dedication farmers put into nourishing the world really recognised by everyday Australians as we work through this pandemic," he said.
"At John Deere, we are extremely proud to be part of this foundational industry and of the partnerships we share with farmers to help them undertake this important work.
"We want to showcase our appreciation through this short video and by paying tribute to the real people who day in, day out, keep the world running."
Mr Wanckel said aside from reconnecting the public with where food and fibre comes from, social distancing and restrictions on travel have also shown how technology and innovation are now, more than ever, fundamental to the flow of products through the agricultural supply chain.
"Although they're used to working remotely at the best of times, the required changes which have come from social distancing and other public safety measures have meant farmers, like millions of other businesses around the world, have needed to adapt to new ways of sourcing the parts, equipment and other essentials they need to stay operational," he said,
"For John Deere this has meant online platforms like Connected Support, which provides remote diagnostics and troubleshooting, have become some of the best ways we can continue to work side-by-side with our customers throughout this pandemic.
"We believe in farming and the resilience of Australian farmers but also understand conditions can be tough at times.
"For this reason, John Deere Financial has been working closely with customers suffering financial hardship by offering help, where possible, through the restructure of loans and refinancing to assist with cashflow.
"This is such an important time for Australian farmers as they prepare for seeding and we want to assure the entire agricultural community John Deere is here to support them wherever we can, both now as we navigate COVID-19 and for the long-term of this great sector."
