John Deere is planning to build a new 33,000 square-foot facility in the Iowa State Research Park in Ames.

The Moline, Ill.-based agricultural machinery company said Wednesday it intends to start construction in the park this summer, depending on when it secures construction permits from city officials.

Spokesman Ken Golden said John Deere is building the facility to test machines that spray fertilizers and pesticides after it acquired four different spraying startups in the past year.