Storage

How Smart Farm Infrastructure Upgrades Can Squeeze Out Extra Margin

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:43:15 GMT

Leading agricultural economists and industry experts are emphasizing what most farmers have already taken to heart about 2026 expenditures: Spend only where you can identify a clear, realistic path to higher returns or lower costs sooner than later.

The key, according to University of Illinois agricultural economists Gary Schnitkey and Nick Paulson, is filtering potential projects through the sharp lens of your operation’s current financial health. Return on Investment (ROI) and cash flow must come first, while tax benefits and “nice-to-haves” are a distant second.

Start With These Two Questions

Before signing a check for any major project, the economists encourage farmers to ask themselves:

Will this clearly lower my cost per acre or raise my average returns in the next three to seven years?
Can my working capital handle the expense if commodity prices or returns are worse than expected?

“You have to look at your cash flow and your working capital,” says Schnitkey. “You have to be disciplined. If you’re not in [a good] financial position, then this isn’t the time to do it.”

He advises farmers to prioritize speed of ROI, given the current economic environment. “I would suggest that in this point in time you want to be looking at investments that have a quicker return,” he says.

Ryan Thompson, strategic accounts manager for AGI, echoes Schnitkey’s focus on payback.

“If I’m going to spend a few dollars, how fast is that money going back to my pocketbook?” he asks, capturing the essence of investment mandates for this year.

Thompson also says to evaluate infrastructure decisions through the lens of longevity: “If I’m in my twilight years of my operation, five years or less left, maybe I’m not making that investment. But if I’m 45 or less, going to be in it for another 20-plus years, that’s something that makes sense to me.”

Paulson urges farmers to do risk assessments: “What’s the likelihood that it won’t work out, and what’s the risk you run that something doesn’t pencil out like you think it will? What sort of position does that put the business in?”

While most spending on the farm should be defensive this year, two categories are flagged by Paulson and Schnitkey as being strategic “yes” opportunities: drainage tile and grain storage.

Strategic Drainage Tile Installation

Drainage tile is one of the few infrastructure moves that qualifies as an “offensive play” in an otherwise defensive year, the economists say.

The core benefit of tile installation is supported by strong research showing meaningful yield gains, often in the near term.

“There is good research out there that shows there are some pretty significant crop yield improvements, even in relative short run, and that does translate to positive returns on the investment required for drainage tile,” Paulson says.

The economists point out that tile can be a powerful risk management tool. Potential benefits include:

Improved timeliness of planting and harvesting by firming up fields sooner after rain, a critical benefit when planting windows are tight.

Reduced yield variability across a field, turning problem areas into more reliable yield contributors instead of chronic underperformers.

Enhanced long‑term profitability on owned or long‑term “controlled” ground, because the yield gains and better timing are able to compound over many seasons.

Paulson and Schnitkey say they believe tile installation makes the most economic sense this year on chronically wet, yield-limited acres that a grower intends to farm for the long haul—and only if the operation has the financial cushion to absorb the upfront cost until yield gains materialize.

Grain Storage Installations And Updates

While a new, permanent steel bin has been a sound long-term asset for farmers in recent years, the experts say today’s high construction costs mean a new build only pencils out for farmers planning to run their operation for the next 15 to 20 years and who can consistently fill and turn that capacity.

It’s why Thompson says the smart money this year is likely on upgrading existing storage facilities to protect margin.

“In the past year we saw a lot of folks make upgrades to their existing grain bins, whether that was putting in new floors, new unloads, updating the fans and vents, things like that,” he says.

Making these types of upgrades deliver payoffs such as improving airflow, allowing you to dry and cool grain faster and cheaper and cut down on harvest bottlenecks and, in some cases, reduce labor costs.

High-Impact: Bin Monitoring Technology

Thompson notes that a high-impact, cost-effective upgrade farmers are making now is improving their bin-monitoring system to minimize spoilage loss, over-drying or other factors that contribute to quality discounts.

“We don’t have a lot of room for error… keeping that grain in good condition can be key to trying to squeeze out any profit,” Thompson says, noting how increasingly volatile weather makes grain conditioning more critical than ever.

He says modern bin-monitoring systems use real-time data to guide fan use, preventing unnecessary energy use (avoiding over-drying) and saving real dollars sometimes lost in shrink and fuel consumption.

Caution Offered On Bags Versus Bins

Some row crop growers are looking to temporary grain bags as a cheaper alternative to steel bins, but experts like Thompson urge caution. “If you’re looking for short-term return, maybe [go with] a bag. But again, how does that fit into your long-term plan for the operation?”

He adds, “There’s still that inherent risk … when that grain is in a bag, whether it’s in my yard or 20 miles down the road in the field where I left it, from all the things that can happen to that bag, and also all that grain is on the ground.”

Paulson, Schnitkey and Thompson were featured speakers during an Illinois Soybean webinar titled “Reevaluating Your On-Farm Investments.” The webinar was part of a three-part economic series to help farmers navigate current economic challenges.

Two Essential Factors For Preserving Corn & Soybean Quality In On-Farm Storage

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 21:17:52 GMT

As harvest finishes up, a high-stakes management process is getting underway inside countless on-farm grain bins. Farmers are working to keep corn and soybean crops in good condition until marketing opportunities hopefully improve.

Two key factors farmers will need to manage throughout the months ahead are temperature and moisture. Here is a number of recommendations Extension specialist offer to help growers in the process:

Temperature: A Guardian Of Grain Quality
Managing temperature in the bin is a cornerstone of effective grain storage. By carefully managing temperature levels, Ken Hellevang says farmers can significantly extend the quality of their stored grain and minimize the chance for incurring losses over winter.

“I like to say that for every 10 degrees that we cool the grain, we double the storage life,” notes Hellevang, emeritus professor of agriculture and biosystems engineering at North Dakota State University.

According to Iowa State University Extension , the ideal temperature range for storing grain during winter is between 30° F and 40° F.

If grain drops below 30° F, the risk of freezing and forming large chunks increases, which can cause problems when trying to empty the bin later, adds Reagan Tibbs , University of Illinois Commercial Agriculture Educator.

Monitoring and managing the grain temperature is a critical piece of grain storage, emphasizes Hellevang, who addressed the topic on a recent Crop Science Podcast Show .

He says maintaining an optimal temperature offers a couple of critical benefits:
1. Spoilage prevention: Hellevang says temperature variations within the grain mass can create convection currents, leading to moisture migration and spoilage. Consistent temperature control helps maintain grain quality by minimizing the risks associated with moisture buildup and heat retention.

2. Insect control: Most insect activity significantly decreases below 55°F, and insects typically enter dormancy at temperatures below 50°F, Hellevang says.

“For those farmers in the northern country, where we have cold temperatures, if we bring the temperature down to freezing or even a little below that, we can actually kill insects,” he adds.

Aeration should be done routinely throughout the winter to maintain cool and even temperatures in the bin, according to Iowa State University Extension . Uneven temperatures in the grain bin can occur when the grain mass isn’t cool enough going into winter, resulting in cooler grain along the bin walls and warmer grain in the core. This temperature difference can cause convection currents that deposit moisture on the grain surface, causing spoilage and crusting.

Other reasons for uneven temperatures in the bin include solar heating of grain under the roof and along the bin walls, as well as heating from insect and mold activity. Iowa State recommends leveling the grain surface to improve aeration and prevent issues caused by accumulated fines by spreading grain or coring the bin .

University of Minnesota Extension recommends covering fans when they are off to prevent severe weather and temperature changes from affecting the bin. Covers made of canvas, tarp, or even plywood can be used for this purpose.

Moisture Management Is Essential
Hellevang likes to remind farmers that there’s a difference between market moisture and storage moisture.

For corn, he says the market moisture is about 15.5%. But corn going into long-term storage, at or beyond 6 months, needs to be maintained at 13% to 14% moisture.

“We also need to be a little concerned about not getting grain too dry, because the drier it gets, the more brittle it becomes, and we see more breakage issues,” he says, adding: “The market really doesn’t reward you for bringing in 10% moisture corn. They’d like to be handling that 13%, 14% moisture corn.”

Hellevang adds that every region of the country is a “little different” on what they find are ideal moisture levels for grain in storage.

As part of maintaining ideal temperature and moisture levels, Tibbs tells farmers to keep an eye on potential moisture migration in the bin.

“What can happen is when the temperature difference between the outside and inside the grain bin exceeds 20° F, the moisture content in the bin can increase toward the top. That raises the risk of grain crusting, which can reduce grain quality and pose safety concerns when checking bins,” Tibbs explains.

Monitor Grain Throughout The Storage Period
Hellevang suggests checking stored grain every two weeks. While checking on the grain, measure and record the grain temperature and moisture content. Rising grain temperature may indicate insect or mold problems. Insect infestations can increase from being barely noticeable to major infestations in three to four weeks when the grain is warm, he adds.

Checking the grain moisture content is important because moisture measurements at harvest may have been in error due to moisture gradients in the kernel, grain temperature, and other factors. When checking the moisture content of stored grain, Hellevang advises following the manufacturer’s procedure for obtaining an accurate moisture measurement.

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Farm Journal Survey Signals 2025 National Corn Yield Could Fall Short of 2024

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:53:50 GMT

The government shutdown and resulting absence of data from USDA has left a void in the volatile grain and oilseed markets. To fill the gap, Farm Journal conducted a survey to get an update on yields and harvest progress as well as other important topics on producers’ minds.

Based on more than 1,100 qualified responses from across the U.S., the biggest takeaway is that corn yields are estimated to be down compared with USDA’s September estimates in six of the seven Pro Farmer Crop Tour states. Due to disease pressure and dryness, the 2025 national corn yield could be lower than the 2024 average of 179.3 bu.

(Farm Journal)

As of mid-October, yields are steady or lower for 74% of the respondents across the Crop Tour states, a far cry from higher production estimates for each state in USDA’s September Crop Production Report, says Lane Akre, Pro Farmer economist. Traders and analysts saw production falling from the September USDA estimate of 186.7 bu. per acre to 185 bu., according to a pre-report poll from Bloomberg in early October. If production does shrink, as the Farm Journal survey indicates, the national average yield could fall to 178.5 bu. per acre.

When compared to 2024, the Farm Journal survey shows the biggest yield decline in the “I” states:

Illinois at 7%
Indiana at 4.6%
Iowa at 3.2%

On the other hand, Minnesota at 3.8% and South Dakota at 3.3% are seeing yields come in higher than last season.

Soybean Harvest Progress Well Ahead of Corn
Corn harvest progress is on par with other private estimates at 43% on Oct. 15.

(Farm Journal)

Soybean harvest is well ahead at 79% due to dry conditions.

“While we aren’t getting the weekly crop progress reports, they are still calling and the analyst average this week was 60%,” Akre says.

(Farm Journal)

Storage Issues Especially Challenging in Northern Plains
Just over a third of all respondents in Farm Journal’s survey noted storage concerns as many producers are opting to store grain rather than take it to market. Storage issues are more prevalent in the northern Plains, with 56% of producers in South Dakota saying they are facing issues.

(Farm Journal)

With China absent from the export market and soybean yields strong, basis levels in the northwestern Corn Belt have widened to levels not seen since the 2018 trade war. Storage piles are already stacking up at local elevators.

“We’re just a week into harvest and already seeing more piles than we have seen in years past,” says Kevin Deinert, a farmer from Mount Vernon, S.D. “If you look at total production and total storage capacity, we’re going to exceed our storage capacity by a considerable amount.”

Typically, farmers in the Dakotas sell soybeans right off the combine, but this year many are holding onto their crop, hoping for better prices down the road.

“The basis on corn is not great either, but it’s exceptionally bad on soybeans,” explains Todd Hanten of Goodwin, S.D. “I’m going to store it all and try to capture some better basis in the future.”

David Struck, a farmer from Wolsey, S.D., is also storing beans with the hope come January and February, he’ll be able to move them and get a better price.

Based on CoBank estimates, the nation will be short 73 million bushels of upright grain storage this year, a dramatic shift from last year’s surplus.

“When you pull out to the 12 major corn-producing states, and that includes soybeans, we’re going to be short by about 1.4 billion bushels of storage capacity,” says Tanner Ehmke, CoBank’s grain and oilseeds economist. “Last year, we were long by about 360 million bushels.”

Farmers Still Support Tariffs
Despite the ongoing trade war with China, which has weighed heavily on row-crop prices, more than 60% of respondents say they support tariffs. Many are hopeful that aggressive trade policies will pay dividends once it is all said and done.

(Farm Journal)

Tips And Tech Tools To Take The Sting Out Of Harvesting A Highly Variable Corn Crop

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:19:16 GMT

Are you harvesting high-moisture corn this fall, and did that same corn experience significant foliar disease pressure? If the variable conditions crop scouts noted on Farm Journal’s Pro Farmer Crop Tour hold true for most of the Corn Belt , then the answer to both of those questions is likely “yes” — and that means you will need to adjust your harvest workflow.

Here are some tips and technologies to help get this crop off as efficiently and stress-free as possible, and then keep it in good condition until you’re ready to sell it:

Plan For Success
The first shift you need to consider is the sequence in which you harvest your fields. If you have a field that was inundated with higher disease pressure than others, and the crop is still standing, you want to prioritize that one over fields where the visual symptoms of disease pressure are not as widespread.

Related: Maximize Soybean Yields — Harvesting This Week Could Be Key

“It’s just [a matter of] expediting the process and getting that infected field harvested quicker than what you had anticipated, which a lot of times comes with higher moisture corn,” says Tyler Kilfoil, digital bin manager, AGI.

Calibrate Yield Monitors

Yield monitor by Darrell Smith

(Darrell Smith)

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie is worried some farmers might “get into depressed mode” and skip over yield monitor calibrations this fall. Even if yields appear to be below your expectations, Ferrie says these yield maps will be valuable in the years to come. So, get that yield monitor calibrated.

“Even if the yield [data] is depressing, get a good spatial calibration on that yield monitor for both beans and corn,” Ferrie says. “So, when we sit back and the combine is in the shed, we can go through all this data, and it’ll help us make some decisions.”

This year’s data could be particularly useful because it has been such a difficult year, agronomically speaking.

“There’ll be things that show up [in the data] that you don’t see every year, and those yield maps are going to be key,” he says. “That’s the data we need. [It’s] going to help you make decisions not only next year, but for years after.”

Combine Automation Can Help

Two men with a tablet in front of a John Deere vehicle.

(Premier Crop Systems)

Once you have a game plan for attacking your fall harvest and your yield monitor is set, there are new tools within some combines that can help manage variability from field to field.

If you’re running a new John Deere combine (model year 2025 and up), consider using Predictive Ground Speed Automation (PGSA) and Harvest Settings Automation this fall, says John Deere combine specialist Tim Ford.

Related: 5 Yield-Saving Combine Adjustments For Touch-And-Go Fall Harvest

PGSA is a sensing technology that serves as another set of eyes for the combine operator, scanning the crop continuously 28' ahead of the corn head. It reads crop height, biomass and can even detect downed crops. It will speed up where it sees lighter biomass and slow down and take its time in higher biomass.

Harvest Settings Automation works in a similar fashion. The operator sets acceptable levels of grain loss in the combine controller, and then sensors within the machine will read the crop ahead and adjust things like header height and speed to make sure the combine harvests within your set parameters.

“These two systems act as a teammate. We’re not taking the operator out of the cab. We’re using sensors, data and technology to take a heavy burden off the operator and put it on the automation,” Ford says.

Bin Ready? Set It And Forget It

Grain Bin By Lori Hays

(File Photo )

Once the crop is off, AGI’s Kilfoil says the next decision is figuring out what to do with it.

“If it was high moisture when you picked it, that involves getting it down to a proper storage [moisture] level, maybe even running it through an eco-dryer to pull the moisture out of the corn,” he says. “From there, the final landing place is in the bin.”

Once you have this highly variable crop dried down and nestled in the bin, you need visibility into how the grain itself takes to storage conditions, all while keeping a close eye on weather conditions outside the bin, too. That’s where a grain bin monitoring system with automation can pay off — freeing up your time and attention while the system does the checking for you. And it’s just safer than manually checking bins.

“Grain bin monitoring technology is your eyes inside your bank account,” Kilfoil says. “For guys who aren’t typically used to shelling higher moisture corn and storing higher moisture corn, a product like AGI’s Bin Manager lets you sleep in peace at night. It gives you eyes inside the bin, and it’s going to fully automate your system and help with that [storage] process and decision making.”

Your next read: How Pro Farmer 2025 Crop Estimates Compare and Contrast With USDA Expectations

2018 All Over Again? Northwest Corn Belt Farmers Face Storage Crunch, Basis Collapse

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:46:31 GMT

Farmers in the northwestern Corn Belt are experiencing déjà vu. Harvest 2025 is starting to feel like 2018 all over again. The lack of export business has widened soybean basis in North Dakota, says Frayne Olson, crop economist and marketing specialist with North Dakota State University.

China, which takes 25% of all U.S. soybeans, is facing tariffs as high as 23%. As a result, Beijing has made no purchases of new crop soybeans .

“Current soybean basis levels are anywhere from -$1.35 to -$1.55,” Olson says. “During the peak of the last trade war between the U.S. and China, we were at a -$2 in many locations.”

North Dakota farmers depend on soybean exports to China, so they’re looking for a market for more than half of their 220 million bushel crop.

“We’ve been set up to ship through the Pacific Northwest to China. Right now, with that market shut down, 120 million bushels have to go somewhere,” explains Randy Martinson, Martinson Ag in Fargo, N.D.

Farmers Might Face Storage Crunch
With $8 cash soybean bids in the Dakotas and Minnesota, and no bids for fall in a few markets, farmers might need to break the norm and store soybeans.

“The incentives are now for farmers to store soybeans on-farm and try to push some of the corn through the system as quickly as possible,” Olson says. “Our challenge with that, of course, is harvest capacity.”

Farmers are scrambling to find storage and have limited options — with old crop still to move and capacity lost to storm damage in North Dakota.

Olson says their options will depend on harvest conditions and moisture content.

“If the corn is dry enough, I think there will be a lot to put into bags . There will probably be some we’re going to have to pile outside regardless, whether they’re farm storage piles or commercial storage piles,” he says.

Other Areas Also See Basis Weaken
Basis has also weakened in other areas of the Corn Belt, such as Kansas, where big crops are predicted and processors have backed off bids for corn and soybeans, says Mark Knight with Farmers Keeper Financial.

“You’re seeing some basis get wide. They expect a big crop coming, so there’s not a big supply fear out there right now. Why pay up?” Knight says.

Farmers might have to sell overflow bushels and look at buying the crop back on the board, he advises.

“They’re looking for ways to re-own — whether it’s through futures, options or storage themselves. I think most of the guys are going to get away from paying for commercial storage,” he explains.

With the storage crunch, commercial storage costs will likely be much higher this fall.

Fall Management Checklist For Any Farmer

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:54:16 GMT

As farmers are scouting, spraying fungicides and preparing for harvest, Ag View Solutions consultant Shay Foulk says now is a great time to run through a fall management checklist.

1. It all starts with production.

“As you get into early to late August and then into September, do your final scouting and put together what you think your yields are going to be,” he says.

From the lower yielding to the higher yielding ends of the spectrum, Foulk says it’s foundational to know if you have excess bushels or if you have a downfall of bushels to nail down the moving target of cost of production. With a defined cost of production, Foulk says you can hit the target easier with your marketing.

2. Develop your marketing strategy

The second step is evaluating current fall sales and any over run bushels. Bushels grown above your historic averages open windows for marketing opportunities.

“Some quote cost of production of $4.18 to $4.25, and some of our clients are somewhere around $4.65 to $4.68,” Foulk says. “If you have a yield history of 220 bushels, but this year you have 250 bushels, your cost of production decreases to down around $4.10.”
The additional bushels give the opportunity to market with improved profitability.

“If you got good bushels you might have an opportunity to be marketing at a profit right now. You got to pull the trigger on some of that,” he says.

You can learn more from Foulk at the first-ever Farm Journal Yield Academy

3. Basis levels and harvest timing.

“In middle of July—two things that you have at play that we know historically happen every year, is you have a move in basis, typically as you head into harvest, particularly with a big crop that’s sitting out there. So, with that big move in basis are you capitalizing on that right now,” Foulk says.

4. Assess your storage and logistics.

From a recent poll on X and conversations with farmer clients, Foulk says he estimates about 75% of people are less than 25% sold on 2025 crop.

“There’s a lot of bushels out there that need to move,” he says. “The reality of the situation is if you got bushels, you’ve got to deal with them. If you have excess bushels coming in, you’ve got to deal with them. So make a decision, because no decision is still a decision and you’re probably not going to like outcome.”

He advocates farmers know the real cost of money and acknowledge there is still a cost associated to put and keep the crop in the bin.

“Bins are a harvest tool. Not a marketing tool,” Foulk says. “A farm operation with 500 acres of corn, 500 acres of beans, the cost of holding that at today’s levels on corn is $4,000 a month, if you store your entire crop for five months. And it’s $2,600 a month on soybeans. So if you think you’re going to hold those crops for a year that’s going to cost you $50,000 to $70,000. Do you think that you’re going to capture enough carry?”

5. Think about cash flow needs

He points to the excess priority bushels—which some call gambling bushels—and pairing those with your cash flow.
“There’s some opportunities as we head into the next month, looking at prepay. So as you start thinking about purchasing fuel, purchasing nitrogen, looking ahead to the 2026 crop, there’s considerations there,” he says.

6. Insurance and government payments should be applied to your cost of production thought process

Foulk advises farmers to apply any indemnity payments or program payments back to the cost of production per bushel.

“You might be looking at a crop that is costing you $4.58 a bushel, but you’re getting 30 cents or 40 cents per bushel as a result of crop insurance indemnity payments or any of these other government programs,” he says. “You need to tie that back into your marketing. That’s what the programs are designed for. And sometimes we’re guilty of just saying, hey great there’s a check, let’s use it to prepay,’ but you’re not tying back to your marketing.”

7. Look at the world as it is.

Foulk says it’s important to apply a realistic view on every step of the checklist. And he advises to be on top of how to apply crop insurance.

“The 220-bushel average production history for a farm operation in Iowa or Illinois has a cost of production maybe around $4.51. If you drop that to the 85% insurance level on yield that’s 187 bushels an acre, their cost of production goes up to $5.26. That’s a big stretch, that’s 75 cents that needs to be made up in indemnity payments in order to protect that at 85% level of coverage,” he says. “The opposite end is when you have a farmer that has fantastic yields out there, and they’re looking at, 250 or 253 as their farm production history, your cost of production plummets down to $4.08. Now, you’re profitable at today’s levels.”

Foulks says there are three related and free tools from Ag View Solutions:

crop indemnity calculator
excess bushel calculator
cash flow marketing tool

If you are falling short on bushels, Foulk says there are necessary conversations to have right now. Along with those options, he also gives insights on how to account for forecasted 2026 production costs in this episode of AgriTalk:

Beck's Hybrids Expands Seed Production Footprint, Acquires Nebraska Facility from Syngenta

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:12:50 GMT

Beck’s Hybrids announces it has acquired a Syngenta corn seed production and processing facility in southeast Nebraska, near the community of Phillips. The transaction is expected to be finalized on October 31, 2025.

The acquisition will be the company’s furthest west production facility and will serve farmers primarly in Nebraska and surrounding states, according to Scott Beck, president of Beck’s Hybrids.

“This is a really nice facility with a great group of farmers in the state who want to grow seed corn, so this positions us very nicely for continued growth in not only Nebraska, but other western states as well,” he told Farm Journal on Tuesday.

Beck says the family-owned seed business, based in Atlanta, Ind., markets seed corn in 23 states now and is the third-largest seed brand in the U.S., dedicated to serving farmers throughout the Midwest.

Beck’s started selling seed in Nebraska only five years ago, and the state now ranks No. 5 for the company’s seed corn sales.

Facility Reduces Seed Production Risks

One of the benefits Beck says the company gains from purchasing the Nebraska facility is the opportunity to minimize the potential impact of production challenges like weather events, crop diseases, pests and other factors.

“We diversify our production to different locations as much as possible to spread the risk, particularly when we have larger volumes of certain hybrids,” Beck says. “While a lot of what we grow out there will be used by Nebraska farmers and farmers in other western states, there will be seed products that get shipped all the way back to Indiana and Ohio.”

Along with spreading potential production risks, Beck says he is pleased to be able to contribute to Nebraska corn growers and rural communities.

“As a family owned, independently operated business, having this facility gives us just tremendous opportunity to support farm families in Nebraska, and to do it in a way that I believe will bring great value to them,” Beck adds.

Eric Boeck, North America Seeds Regional Director, of Syngenta, expressed his optimism about the company’s collaboration with Beck’s.

“This is an excellent opportunity to maximize resources in both organizations with farmers in mind,” he said in a prepared statement. “Employees and contractors currently working at the site will have an opportunity to meet with Beck’s management to discuss a smooth transition to Beck’s. We will focus our production efforts and intensify germplasm and trait development to continue to bring innovation and choice for farmers.”

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Need To Store More? Check Out These 9 Tips If You're Planning New Grain Bins

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:04:00 GMT

As you plan your 2025 growing season, it is prudent you reevaluate your farm’s grain storage needs, writes GSI, a brand of Grain & Protein Technologies, in a recent press release.

“A well-planned grain system is essential to protect stored grain quality and increase harvest efficiency,” says Jeff Cravens, director, North America, grain east central farm sales.

For farmers planning a new grain system or adding on to a current build, Cravens offers the following considerations:

Capacity and grain types: How many different types of grain will the facility handle, and what are the different handling and storage characteristics for each grain? Will grain drying be required? Also take into account your volume requirements for each grain type to service the market, customers and end users.
Location: Where will you market your grain? Consider who your customers are as well as your proximity to them, which can have a significant impact on location. Access to a nearby state highway lets you haul grain year-round without any road restrictions. Having your farm’s grain storage facility near your fields reduces transport time and fuel costs and may even reduce the number of trucks needed.
Fuel: Does the site have access to natural gas? As a general rule of thumb, grain can be dried with natural gas for about half the cost of propane.
Power: Three-phase power is needed for operating large machines and motors in today’s larger grain systems. It is a necessity for high-capacity dryers because of the large amount of grain being dried. In areas where three-phase power is not available, a phase converter can be used to run three-phase motors and engines from existing single-phase power sources.
Room for growth: Always include additional space in the layout of a new system to accommodate more equipment as your operation grows, including the number and capacity of grain bins, conveyors and dryers that will be needed. Also, remember that space doesn’t do much good if you don’t have the infrastructure — natural gas and electric — to expand.
Wet bushel storage: Do not assume that your wet holding capacity will always be adequate. Once you start drying more grain, an increase in your wet bushel storage capacity will become a necessity.
Pit: Consider adding a truck load-out or a pit, which can sometimes save the cost of a truck or lead to other benefits.
Traffic pattern: Create a traffic pattern for separate dumping and loading stations to increase efficiency. Being able to load and unload grain simultaneously can save you time and money.
Profitability: Make sure you know your operating costs and the revenue needed to meet your margin requirements. Also, consider how much additional margin could be captured with automation.

“Now is the best time to begin planning for a new or expanded grain system for 2025,” Cravens said.

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AGCO Wraps Up Grain and Protein Divestiture with AIP

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:20:30 GMT

AGCO has completed the divestiture of the majority of its Grain & Protein business to American Industrial Partners (AIP) effective today in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $700 million.

“AGCO’s portfolio is now focused on award-winning agricultural machinery and precision ag technology products, which underpins a long-term focus on high growth, high margin and significant free cash flow generating businesses,” said Eric Hansotia, AGCO chairman, president and CEO.

Proceeds from the sale, net of working capital and other customary closing adjustments, will be used consistent with AGCO’s stated capital allocation priorities, including primarily debt repayment, as well as investment in technology and growth initiatives and return of capital to shareholders.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Rabo Securities USA, Inc. acted as financial advisors to AGCO. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as legal advisor to AGCO.

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New ADM Integration Streamlines Grain Elevator Logistics

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 16:51:12 GMT

A new tech integration is on the way at many ADM locations as the company is in the process of implementing Digital Grain Elevator’s FOB Ag Logistics Platform.

The FOB Ag Logistics Platform is a mobile tool that works to both simplify and streamline the grain transportation and delivery process.

“This partnership with ADM is a significant step forward for the future of Ag transportation,” said Aaron Secrest, CEO of Digital Grain Elevator, Inc. “By simplifying dispatch, tracking shipments, digital ticket integration, and automated invoicing, we’re creating a more streamlined and transparent experience for everyone involved.”

Some of its key features include:

Digital Dispatch
The FOB website and mobile app can book and schedule loads, pickups and drop offs with drivers, producers and end-users.
Real-Time Delivery Updates
The control center provides the location, status updates and ETA of a fleet.
Digital Invoicing and Ticketing
Scale tickets, inspections, grain samples, etc. can all be uploaded.

“The successful implementation of this technology across a broad part of our North American footprint is already helping us work with our partners – including our producer customers, commercial grain shippers, carriers and owner-operators – to simplify and streamline the work we do together,” said Alicia Ralston, ADM’s vice president of digital transformation. “Today, we’re seeing the benefits of more efficient dispatching and deliveries, faster payments thanks to automatic invoicing, and more. We’re continuing to expand our use of this exciting technology, and we strongly encourage producers and haulers alike to reach out to us so we can tell them more about it.

Ralston adds this rollout aims to enhance traceability of supply chains.

“There’s more to come,” Ralston says. “We’re excited about the many ways we’re building out our suite of technologies to meet our partners’ needs and help the entire value chain work together more efficiently and effectively for years to come.”

ADM has currently implemented the FOB Ag Logistics Platform in its eastern grain regions including:

Decatur/east central Illinois
Mendota, Illinois
Evansville, Indiana
Frankfort/Central Indiana
Toledo, Ohio
Windsor, Ontario
Memphis, Tennessee

The rollout of this integration will continue across ADM’s North American footprint.

ADM Sued for Alleged Misconduct, Lack of Safety Inspections

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:58:25 GMT

By P.J. Huffstutter

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co intentionally failed to test and maintain safety systems on its grain equipment for years, which contributed to an explosion that immolated a worker and put him in a coma last year, according to a lawsuit filed against the company.

The explosion was part of a string of safety incidents at ADM facilities in Decatur, Illinois, site of the global grain trader’s North American headquarters.

ADM on Thursday declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The company’s shares have been under pressure this year from a global glut of grain supplies, and it is also facing U.S. government investigations related to accounting irregularities.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in Macon County Circuit Court in Illinois, alleges that worker Antonio McElrath was in a Decatur facility known as the West Plant in April 2023 when a supervisor told him to shut down a grain “leg” tube that started smoking.

An explosion occurred when the tube was opened, and McElrath was standing in its direct path, according to the lawsuit.

McElrath, now 44, was in an induced coma for two to three weeks following the accident, his attorney Timothy Shay said. “He has suffered significant injuries and is still in recovery.”

Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that ADM failed to inspect or test critical safety systems in the explosion that injured McElrath and two other workers.

ADM had fire and explosion suppression systems in place to prevent problems and keep workers safe, but the systems were not working, the lawsuit alleges.

ADM’s sprawling grain and oilseed processing complex in Decatur also suffered dust explosions in 2018 and 2019, fires in 2019, and a smoldering event this summer at the West Plant, according to the lawsuit.

Separately, workers were injured from an explosion at the site’s East Plant in September 2023. And on Monday, an industrial fire broke out at ADM’s sorbitol production department of its East Plant, according to the Decatur Fire Department.

ADM has focused on safety efforts companywide, ADM spokeswoman Jackie Anderson said in an email statement late on Thursday.

At its Decatur complex over the past year, the company has hired process safety engineers and taken other steps to improve safety in its processes, among other steps, Anderson said. “We are fully committed to learning and improving when an operational event occurs so that it does not happen again.”

(Reporting by P.J. Huffstutter in Chicago; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Leslie Adler)

Farm Shop Insulation: 15 Pro Tips to Maintain a Cozy Temp

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:48:00 GMT

Talk to a farmer about building a farm shop, and you can pretty well tell what part of the country they’re from by how interested they are in insulation. Southern farmers are often indifferent to insulation, though the improved work environment provided by air-conditioned shops has made insulation increasingly popular in southern shops. Northern farmers, however, take insulation seriously when building a shop and need to be conversant about climate zones, R-factors, air/vapor barriers and other variables that dramatically influence the cost and efficiency of heating or cooling their shop.

Here are pro tips to consider when insulating a shop:

1. Optimal insulation of a building starts with its foundation. Shops with in-floor heating require sheet-foam beneath the entire concrete slab to act as a thermal break that prevents heat transfer between the slab and ground. Buildings without in-floor heat can benefit from foam sheets installed vertically around the perimeter of the slab to a depth of a couple feet to reduce heat loss into the surrounding soil. “Insulating the perimeter of a shop floor that doesn’t use floor-heat isn’t absolutely necessary, but is better than not insulating it,” says Nick Horstman, Morton buildings representative in central Iowa. “If you want to reduce heat loss over the building’s lifespan, laying insulation along the foundation is probably cost effective.”

2. R-value is a measure of how well a barrier such as a layer of insulation, a window pane or wall components resist the conductive flow of heat. Steel siding has an R-value of 0.61, ½" plywood has an R-value of 0.63, and a single-layer glass window is rated at 0.91. Higher insulation values come with fiberglass batts providing R-3 per inch of thickness, closed cell foam offering R-7 per inch, and blown cellulose yielding around R-3.85 per inch.

3. Air barriers and vapor barriers are adjuncts to some types of insulation. Air barriers control air infiltration and reduce drafts. Vapor barriers control the movement of water vapor to prevent condensation on or in walls and windows.

4. Fiberglass insulation provides economical insulation but for optimum results requires attention to detail during installation. “Fiberglass is not an air barrier,” says Dan Frisch, with Cullen Insulation, Fargo, N.D. “If you’re using fiberglass, the exterior sheeting needs to be air-sealed in some way to stop drafts and air infiltration.”

Rigid board insulation consists of solid foam boards that offer thermal and moisture resistance.

(Lori Hays)

5. Fiberglass insulation will absorb and hold moisture. Open cell foam absorbs and holds moisture. Closed cell foam is water resistant.

6. Open-cell spray foam can serve as an air barrier if applied in thicknesses greater than 3 3/4”. While open-cell foam tends to be a lower priced spray foam per inch of applied thickness, it requires thicker applications than closed-cell spray foam to achieve comparable R-values.

7. Closed-cell spray foam is a heavier, denser product that provides an R-7 value per inch of depth. “A 3" layer of closed-cell (foam) in a wall provides R-21, plus it’s a vapor barrier and air barrier,” Horstman says. “It really seals up a building. Plus, depending on the thickness after it cures, it can strengthen the exterior building envelope to some degree.”

8. Closed-cell spray foam sprayed on the inside of exterior sheet metal might make replacing damaged sheets difficult, nearly gluing them together. “If the bottom of a roof has been spray-foamed, for example, and gets significant hail damage,” Horstman says, “we’re finding it’s easier and more cost effective to just install new rows of purlins on top of the damaged roof and lay new sheet metal right over the old roof.”

9. Hybrid insulation packages combine spray foam, fiberglass batting and blown-in attic insulation for optimal economy and performance. “You can foam the walls with an inch or so of foam, fill the rest of the wall cavity with fiberglass batts, then blow insulation into the attic,” says Scott Bickett, Illinois Valley Insulation, Princeton, Ill. “The foam seals it, and the fiberglass does a good job insulating at an economical cost.”

10. Spraying an entire building with closed-cell foam is a one-and-done process, but it could also increase your heating bills when compared to a multistep insulation process. “If you just coat the inside of all the walls and the bottom of the roof with closed-cell foam, that means you’re heating the attic,” Bickett says. “In a big building, that’s a lot of space. We recommend insulating the walls, installing a ceiling on the bottom of the trusses, then blowing in fiberglass to get an R-30 value to keep from heating the attic. Compared to the cost of spray-foaming the extra square footage of the sloped bottom of the roof and the gable ends to R-21, you could put up a ceiling, spray just the walls, blow R-30 fiberglass above the ceiling rafters and avoid heating the attic, all for about the same money as spray-foaming everything.”

Spray foam may slightly buckle sheet metal thinner than 29 gauge. Foam expands as it dries, and pressure created by expanding foam between wooden poles and purlins can cause thin feet metal to buckle.

11. Spray foam could create warranty issues. “Some building manufacturers don’t want foam sprayed directly on steel siding,” Horstman says. “Especially if it’s lighter gauge sheet metal. As spray foam cures, it expands slightly, and that can create pressure between wooden framing and steel siding, causing thin siding to bow. Twenty-six gauge or thicker siding should be fine, but there could be issues in siding thinner than 29-gauge. To avoid this issue, we prep our building by putting housewrap or plywood inside the sheet metal for the foam to be sprayed on, to act as a break between the foam and exterior steel.”

12. Fiberglass insulation is fire retardant and could find favor with insurance agents for that reason. Because spray foams are not fire-retardant, most insurance companies require at least the lower 8' of foamed walls in farm shops be covered with sheet metal or plywood, or coated with a fire-retardant mastic/paint.

13. Any type of insulation, properly installed, will help keep a farm shop warm/cool. “Fiberglass is economical and does a great job if all surfaces are sealed against wind and air infiltration,” Frisch says. “Sprayed open-cell foam provides an air seal and has good R-value if applied thick enough. Closed-cell spray foam creates an air and vapor seal, and offers good R-value per inch of thickness. It’s up to the farmer to work with his building contractor and insulation installer to figure out which insulating system best fits their building, their climate zone and their budget.”

Air conditioning unit installed above a shop window.

(

Dan Anderson

)

14. Air-conditioned farm shops are gaining popularity as owners learn how much more productive they are on hot, humid days inside cooled shops. “Heating and air conditioning are pretty much the same when it comes to insulation,” Frisch says. “The only difference is where condensation develops if there’s not a vapor barrier.”

15. Money will buy R-value when it comes to your shop’s windows. “A double-pane window is more expensive,” Frisch explains, “but you won’t see as much condensation on the warm side of that window. The more separation you can get between warm and cold, the more heat you’ll hold inside the building.”

Your Next Read From Dan Anderson’s Shop Building Series:
Start Here When Building A Farm Shop

Expert Tips to Avoid Remorse When Designing A Farm Shop

Farm Shop Concrete: One Chance To Do It Right

Farm Shop Doors: Easy Access Doesn’t Come Easy

Farm Shop Lights: 9 Tips to Create a Bright Workspace

Purdue Study Shows Grain Entrapments Decrease By 34% Since 2022

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 13:16:32 GMT

Ahead of National Farm Safety and Health Week, Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program has released their annual Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-related Injuries and Fatalities.

The new 2023 data showed no fewer than 55 cases involving agricultural confined spaces had been reported, with 29 fatal and 26 nonfatal cases. In 2022, there were 83 cases–a difference of 33.7%. The number of total cases this year is also less than the 5- and 10-year averages.

Of the 55 cases in 2023, there were 27 grain entrapments and 28 incidents from livestock waste-handling facilities, entanglements and grain dust explosions or fires. Looking at the numbers from 2022, grain entrapments have decreased by 35.7%.

“As we move into the busy fall harvest season, farmers, farm workers and those involved in the grain industry should stay aware of the hazards of agricultural confined spaces,” says Ed Sheldon, report co-author and Purdue agricultural safety specialist. Even though we have documented fewer cases last year, the fact remains that confined space incidents are a significant cause of fatalities and injuries in the agricultural workplace.”

The reported confined space cases by state are as follows:

Illinois: 12
Iowa: 5
Minnesota: 4
Missouri: 4
Nebraska: 4
Pennsylvania: 4
Wisconsin: 4

Of the incidents that were specifically grain entrapments, Iowa had the most at five. According to Purdue, the states that have had the most grain entrapment cases historically are Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois and Nebraska.

Additional findings noted that:

Three incidents involved more than one victim
Two fatal cases dealt with livestock waste storage pits or lagoons
Nine grain dust explosions took place at commercial facilities resulting in 12 nonfatal injuries

Your Next Read: Kentucky Farmer Shares About His Rescue From A Grain Bin

Farm Shop Lights: 9 Tips to Create a Bright Workspace

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:25:22 GMT

What’s the first thing a person does when they walk into a farm shop? Turn on the lights. Here are considerations when designing and selecting lighting systems for farm shops to ensure the brightest, most economical results:

1. Lumens and foot-candles are linked but separate concepts. A lumen is a measure of the light output of a light source, measured at the lamp and/or light fixture. A foot-candle is one lumen per square foot of illuminated surface.

“I’ll often design a workshop to have 30 to 50 foot-candles of overall lighting, depending on what kind of work is being done in the shop,” says Todd Tiernan, with Graybar Electrical Supply, “Then add task lighting over workbenches and other areas that require additional light. The overall design considers the size of the building, ceiling height, the color of ceiling and walls, and at what height off the floor most of the work will be done.”

2. Lamps (light bulbs) and light fixtures are also rated for their “light color temperature” in degrees Kelvin (K). The lower the Kelvin temperature of a light, the more yellowish or reddish it is. The higher the Kelvin temperature rating of a lamp, the more whitish or bluish its light becomes.

“In a house, I might recommend a 2,700 K to 3,000 K light, for a warmer and more comfortable glow,” Tiernan says. “In most workshops, I’ll aim for more of a 4,000 K to 5,000 K light to achieve a more neutral light or something that approximates sunlight. A 4,000 K light would be more of a pure whitish light, while a 5,000 K light would have a slightly bluish tint. Since our eyes are more susceptible to the blue end of the light spectrum, a bluish light seems brighter to us even though they’re both producing the same number of lumens.”

3. Any type of lighting fades over time due to “lumen depreciation.” For example, incandescent lamps initially produce 18 to 20 lumens per watt, but dim by 10% to 15% during their lifetime. T-5 fluorescent lamps dim by 10% to 15% over time. Metal halide lights used in many warehouses average 100 lumens per watt but lose 35% to 40% of their illumination during their lifetime. Most LED lights for workshops can currently go up to 180 lumens per watt and maintain more than 70% of initial lumen output during their predicted lifespan, which typically lasts two times longer than a conventional incandescent or fluorescent light.

4. LED lights are directional. Incandescent and fluorescent lights splay light for almost 360° around the bulb, requiring reflectors to direct light down toward a work surface. “LEDs push light in specific directions,” says Brian Methe, lighting team leader with 3-E Electric in Des Moines. “That’s why ceiling height must be included when choosing which lights to install. With the wrong lights, you could have bright or dark strips where the lights’ patterns overlap too much or too little.”

This light location illuminates the lower two-thirds of the left side wall, reducing the need for lights on the sidewall to illuminate work benches.

5. Older shops or buildings with fluorescent lights suffering from degraded ballasts or lumen depreciation can be upgraded in most cases to LED lighting. “If there are two or more rows of T-5 fluorescents, you may be able to swap them one-for-one with LED fixtures,” Methe says. “If you’re concerned that the old lights are ‘dim,’ realize that they may have lost a lot of their illumination with age, and that new LED lights of the same lumens might get you back to where you were. Or, it may be a good time to upgrade and brighten the entire shop with more powerful LEDs.”

6. Shop offices and meeting rooms benefit from different lighting than the shop’s work area. “Ceilings in offices are lower, so the fixtures need to match that ceiling height,” Methe says. “Also, a bright white light might be nice in the working area, but seem harsh in an office. I recommend office lighting in the range of 3,500 K to 4,000 K.”

7. Light fixtures have an IP, which stands for ingress protection. IP ratings have two digits. The first is protection against solid particles, and the second is protection against liquids. The higher the IP values, the more protection.

IP solid-protection ratings go from zero to 6, with IP 5 being “dust-protected” and IP 6 being “dust-sealed.” IP fluid-protection ratings go from zero to 9, with IP 3 safe for exposure to vertically-sprayed water and IP 9 protecting from high-pressure water and steam. An IP 59 light would be for a dusty environment with high-pressure water and steam.

“An IP 65-rated light fixture is a good fit for a general-purpose shop,” Methe says.“The ‘6’ means it’s dust-tight, and the ‘5’ means it’s protected against jets of water from all directions.”

Sidewall lights brighten work benches and help illuminate the sides and undersides of large equipment that are shadowed by overhead lights.

8. Incandescent and fluorescent lights are available, though 13 U.S. states, along with Canada, have announced upcoming bans on fluorescent lamps. Most new installations in farm shops use LED fixtures. While studies by the U.S. Department of Energy indicate the initial purchase price for LEDs is slightly higher than fluorescents, they are 25% to 75% more efficient. LEDs also have a longer lifespan.

9. There’s a tendency to cut corners when illuminating parts rooms and storage areas. Which is ironic, because bright lights are needed more than ever when reading small-print part numbers on parts packages or rooting for a critical part in the back corners of storage bins.

Square-grid LED lights hung from a sloped ceiling need to be suspended at equal height above the floor to ensure even illumination.

Your Next Read From Dan Anderson’s Shop Building Series:

Start Here When Building A Farm Shop

Expert Tips to Avoid Remorse When Designing A Farm Shop

Farm Shop Concrete: One Chance To Do It Right

Farm Shop Doors: Easy Access Doesn’t Come Easy

Take Our Poll: What Percentage Of Your Old Crop Is Still In The Bin?

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 22:00:46 GMT

USDA’s June Grain Stocks Report found that on-farm corn stocks were up 36.5% versus the previous season to more than 3 million bushels, which is the highest level since 1988.

USDA’s June Grain Stocks Report found that on-farm corn stocks were up 36.5% versus the previous season to more than 3 million bushels.

(Senate Ag GOP Analysis, USDA NASS)

The same was true for soybeans. On-farm soybean stocks were up 44% compared with June 2023 to 466,000 bu.

Six weeks later, as harvest nears in the Midwest, what percentage of your old crop corn and soybeans are still in storage? If you have a moment, would you answer four questions in our quick poll?

There’s a lot of chatter about corn and soybeans still in the bin. Let’s see what farm country has to say.

Grain Storage Tips You Should Keep Top of Mind This Spring

Mon, 20 May 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Monitoring grain bins is so important to protect the quality of stored grain, especially during spring as temperatures warm up.

“Bins can heat up really fast when sunlight hits them during spring and summer,” says Dave Ellis, GSI district manager. “Protecting quality grain means less dockage at the elevator and more money for your bushels.”

Ellis’ recommendations include:

During spring, keep the grain temperature within 10 degrees of the ambient average to prevent condensation that can lead to grain spoilage. After the outside temperature gets above 50, manage aeration to keep the grain as cool as possible for the rest of the summer.
Check grain at least weekly by climbing to the top of the bin. DO NOT enter the bin though, it’s best to avoid entering to minimize your risk of entrapment. Crusting on the top layer or any off smell could indicate spoilage.
Blending off crusted grain may be an option if there is only a small amount. Otherwise, remove spoiled grain as quickly as possible, as keeping out-of-condition grain in the bin can cause clogging.
Remote monitoring tools can help automate grain quality. Most grain bin monitoring technology setups provide real time moisture and temperature data 24/7 to control fan operation to dry, cool, rehydrate or warm grain. Alerts are issued when potential signs of spoilage are detected.

“This technology not only promotes safe storage, but also eliminates the need for farmers to regularly climb their bins for visual inspections,” Ellis says.

He notes that protecting grain quality should actually begin when bins are first loaded with dry grain. Ellis suggests:

Equip bins with spreaders, which improve airflow by evenly distributing grain throughout the bin.
As soon as possible after harvest, pull peaked grain down so the center is just below the grain at the bin wall. The grain will look somewhat like an “M” from the side, promoting air movement in the center.
For every 10 feet of grain depth in the bin, pull out about 300 bushels during loading. This will create an inverted cone, removing many of the fines that accumulate in the center and greatly improving aeration.

North Central Ohio farmer Matt Spillman stores grain on-farm in a multi-bin setup that holds up to 160,000 bushels. He recommends making sure all your bins are “cored out” regularly.

“Get the core pulled out and get some airflow going through the center of the bin,” Spillman says. “And get that grain nice and cold. When we do that in the winter we hardly ever have to run our fans when it warms up. I can reach my arm down into the bin in July and the corn is still nice and cool.”

Another best practice is to focus on filling your bins with high quality, fully intact grain kernels. Don’t fill with a lot of fines, broken kernels, bees’ wings or dust, Spillman recommends.

“And try to keep pulling a load or two out of the bin regularly (throughout the growing season) and keep that top (level) moving,” he adds. “And make sure you alternate between bins.”

In his experience, Spillman shares, high yield environments are often the most susceptible to grain spoilage.

“Corn likes hot, humid, wet conditions when it’s filling out, and I think that correlates to what the vomitoxin fungus likes,” he says.

For additional grain management recommendations, farmers can contact their grain system dealer or visit grainsystems.com.

10 Ways to Refresh and Retool Your Grain Bins

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 20:57:01 GMT

Grain bins are some of the most valuable tools on the farm. While the traditional design might not have changed that much, the technology in and around the bin continues to evolve.

“We’ve definitely seen a trend toward bigger on-farm projects,” says Kevin Curry of Horizon Ag Systems in Wilmington, Ohio. “It’s not uncommon at all for farmers to put in million-dollar grain systems anymore.”

If you’re not ready for new, here are a few ideas that might be worth bolting to your existing setup.

1. On-Farm Drying System

Pro: Start harvest early, protect against phantom yield loss
Con: Big investment upfront, additional infrastructure often required
Tip: “With a continuous flow system, you can bring in corn at 26%, or even up to 29%, which allows you to start harvest a lot earlier in the year,” says Nathan Luff of Luffland Builders in Bates City, Mo. “Counter-flow dryer systems have a center vertical auger and they have two sweep augers on the inside that are constantly bringing dry grain into the middle of the bin, up the center vertical and then transferring it out to another bin.”
Investment: $$$$

Types: (Not an exhaustive list)
Continuous Flow Dryer - External, standalone, requires conveying equipment
Counter-Flow Dryer - In bin drying, not as fast
Mixed Flow Dryer - External, standalone, more fuel efficient, easier on the grain

2. Power Sweep

Pro: Save time, sweep stays in bin, no setup, improved safety
Con: Requires empty bin for installation, possible minor floor work
Tip: “Pretty much any bin is a candidate unless it doesn’t have an aeration floor, which I would say 90% of farm bins do,” says Jordan Von Bokel of Wedekempers in Carlyle, Ill. “The biggest advantages are you can technically empty out your bin, or roughly 95% of it, without even getting in it.”
Investment: $$$

3. Fan Upgrades

Pro: Increase airflow, improve grain aerationy
Con: Might require airflow analysis or other fan/vent work
Tip: “Do you want more aeration or would you like to do some drying in the bin. The fan’s size depends on the farmer’s goal and the size of the bin,” Curry says. “Any grain bin dealer that sells fans has access to a program that can run an air flow model.”
Investment: $$

4. Walk-Through Doors

Pro: Easy install, improved access and safety
Con: Bin must be empty, doors are somewhat expensive
Tip: “Some of those older, smaller doors were often higher up and people could fall getting in or out,” Curry says. “It’s a lot easier to get in and out of the bin and it’s also safer if there were to be an emergency.”
Investment: $$$$

5. Add Stairs, Handrails to Outside

Pro: Safety, ease of access, improved monitoring, empty bin not required
Con: Manlift often required for installation
Tip: “If there’s something you need to do maintenance on or if you need to take some tools, i.e., a grease gun, or wrenches up to the top then stairs, it just makes it 100 times easier,” Curry says.
Investment: $$$

6. Hazard Monitoring Sensors

Pro: Monitor bearing temperatures, speed of equipment, early warning of failure or slippage
Con: Requires monitoring software, sensors can fail
Tip: “If a bearing starts to go bad it can get red hot, and in commercial elevators that can be a source of ignition,” Curry says. “We have started to see more of them on farms, not because of ignition, but as a way to monitor and make sure we’re not going to have a failure.”
Investment: $$$$

7. Remote Grain Monitoring

Pro: Monitor grain temperature, moisture, bin capacity, CO2 levels, external weather station
Con: Cellular plan required, cost
Tip: “Sensors allow you to see hotspots in your bin and turn on the fans, or some systems have automated fan controls,” Von Bokel says. “You can set the moisture or temp and it’ll add moisture to the grain if, for instance, you put in soybeans too dry. It can increase your test weight, which can help the system pay for itself.”
Investment: $$$$

8. Sump Savers or Well Guard

Pro: Keep bin center well from clogging, easy add-on
Con: Some must be removed before running a sweep
Tip: The guard keeps large grain clumps from falling into the center well and clogging it up. There are several different options including some that bolt to the floor, while others include a hydraulic motor with beaters to bust up clogs.
Investment: $/$$

9. Fan Shutters

Pro: Added safety, simple install, inexpensive
Con: Added cost
Tip: The shutters prevent air from escaping and/or forcing other fans to run backward, which is especially important when using burners for heat. “I’ve seen air from one fan blow with enough pressure to run a second fan backwards,” Von Bokel says. “Once we kicked a second fan on and when the burner lit it blew a flame outside of the bin and almost caught our service truck on fire.”
Investment: $

10. Roof Vents

Pro: Easy Install, simple solution for more air flow
Con: Need to rent a manlift (for safety)
Tip: Many older bins have a few or no vents in the roof.
Investment: $$

The Concept of Phantom Yield Loss

Phantom yield loss occurs when corn is allowed to naturally dry down to a certain point before harvest. However, kernels are different today than in years past, says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer . With fewer kernels per bushel, it’s one reason why phantom yield loss is a bigger issue.

“Even though the crop is at the black layer stage, the kernel is still alive, and that kernel is going to continue to go through respiration, which can result in the loss of kernel weight,” Bauer explains. “When you dry it down in your dryer to 15%, then we’re basically killing it at that point.”

When the crop remains in the field it’s burning itself up, so to speak, with respiration, Bauer adds. That’s the concept of phantom yield loss.

Does the elusive dry matter lost equate to bushels? If so, is it enough to justify harvesting at higher moisture and paying for drying?

Click to learn more about the economics of phantom yield loss.

Regret Is An Emotion With Deep Tentacles: Thus Is the Story Of Corn in the Bin

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 19:44:08 GMT

Regret is an emotion with deep tentacles. It sets a lump in your throat and pulls at the innards unquieted by reason, sleep or acquiescence. Missed opportunities, clever retorts, last goodbyes and unintended consequences often plaster the walls of our regret filled prisons. The realization that something can’t be taken back can haunt our days and eat at our nights. Thus is the story of corn in the bin.

No fewer than five times in two days did I share a conversation with farmers at Commodity Classic about current market prices, regret about not selling grain proudly stored and ending with, “when do you think things will go back up?” It’s not an easy answer or a quick fix in 2024. The look of solemn understanding and eager anxiety was painted on every face. Family members stood quietly behind, offering support as expressions of, “I missed it,” paint colors of desperation.

Farming is hard. Managing markets is even harder. Farmers should realize they aren’t ever alone in their regret or in their celebrations. Many others have and are going through the exact same emotional roller coaster.

The experts online say there are some things you can do to help manage your regret.

Acknowledge what happened
Believe in your ability to grow/learn from a perceived mistake
Give it time
Use it as motivation
Reframe the narrative
Forgive yourself

Nobody is perfect, and no business leader is perfect. It’s unrealistic to expect perfection on every outcome. Agriculture, however, is a business of doing. You have to plant in order to harvest. Decisions will be made each and every day. The key is to make sure enough of those decisions land outside the grip of regret that confidence sprouts instead of anxiety. If a bin full of unpriced corn is your biggest mistake, understand, you weren’t the first and definitely won’t be the last farmer worried about missing a pricing opportunity. Embrace the outcome and instead, set your sights on making 2024 your best year yet.

New Study: Why Farmers Fall Into Two Camps If They Sell Or Store Grain

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:20:30 GMT

A recently released study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign took a look at how producers decide when to store or sell their grain.

The data and its takeaways are based on financial statements collected by researchers from 3,000 corn and soybean farms in Illinois dated between 2003 to 2020. The average farmer in this group had little to no off-farm income, no livestock and low investment in buildings and structures.

The study’s co-author Joe Janzen, Illinois Extension specialist and assistant professor in the department of agricultural and consumer economics at U. of I., shared the research shows a significant relationship between capital costs and farmer-held inventory.

“Overall, our results indicate that storage costs influence the storage decision, but we find they matter more for some farms than others,” Janzen noted. “When the capital cost for storage increases, the share of production held in inventory decreases. But these findings cover a wide range of behaviors that vary for different farms and economic conditions.”

Researchers noted there were largely two groups of farms in terms of commodity storage decision-making:

The “market-responsive” group who adjusted inventory levels from year-to-year and held smaller inventories overall.
The “store-and-ignore” group who made fewer adjustments and held larger inventories than the first group. This group does not tend to make inventory changes in response to cost changes.

Janzen explains the largest factor for which operations fell into each group is financial position. The larger, older farms have more assets, more stability and lower storage costs than newer operations.

Though the study does not explore the specific reasons operations may choose to hold onto their grain when the market suggests selling, it does note that limiting taxable income for the year could play a role.

With their findings, the researchers plan to develop calculators that farmers can use to understand the costs and benefits of their grain marketing decisions.

Storage Never Pays, Or Does It?

Farmer Shocked After Lost iPhone Circles Globe, Returns Home

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:24:49 GMT

Abandon hope, all ye who lose a cellphone in an ocean of grain?

When central Oklahoma farmer Kevin Whitney’s iPhone slipped from his pocket and fell beneath 220,000 bushels of grain sorghum bound for parts unknown, he assumed the device was forever gone. Instead, the iPhone took a 20,000-mile roundtrip across the globe, returning nine months later from Japan into the hands of a stunned Whitney.

“Amazing,” he says. “I know farming is a global business, but this was personal and showed me how small our agricultural world is. It became such a cool and unlikely story because there was a whole lot more going on than just a lost phone.”

October Surprise

In the fall of 2013, as combines rolled across grain sorghum (milo) fields in Grady County, Oklahoma, Kevin Whitney was on the receiving end of steady crop loads as manager of the Apache Farmers Co-Op branch in Chickasha, roughly 40 minutes southwest of Oklahoma City.

Bathed in dust and October sunshine, under the tower of a 220,000-bushel concrete elevator, Whitney crouched beside a trailer and tugged at a stubborn hopper door as fresh-cut grain poured across a 10’-long by 5’-wide grate split by cover bars with 4” gaps.

As Whitney worked on the hopper—with an iPhone 5 wedged into a slick, black plastic case inside his unclasped breast pocket—he bent a fraction low and felt the phone shoot from his shirt. In a frozen moment, he watched the phone drop into the grain flow and rocket between the grate bars to the pit below. No lunging, flailing, or scrambling after the device. Game over.

“I was beyond disappointed because it was loaded with photos from my daughter’s wedding, but the phone was done,” says Whitney, who presently runs a cow-calf operation and owns a spraying business, American AG Service. “Nothing to say and nothing to do because there was no retrieval possible. I knew where the phone was and I knew I couldn’t get to it. I gave up right away.”

Out of sight, out of mind. The 4 oz. phone, measuring roughly 5” tall and 2.5” wide, had fallen 3’ below the grate onto a series of conveyor belts, buckets, and legs—finally resting within the massive concrete tombstone, embedded with millions of red- and brown-shaded, spherical grains of milo less than 4 mm in length, each carrying about the same kernel weight as wheat.

However, Whitney’s unwelcome October surprise was about to turn into a July blessing.

Stowaway

Departing the concrete elevator at Apache Farmers Co-Op in Chickasha, the stowaway iPhone 5 was loaded into a grain trailer and trucked to a northeast Oklahoma facility in Inola—part of the Arkansas River navigation system.

Placed on a barge at Inola, Whitney’s iPhone floated down the Arkansas River, changed flows to the Mississippi River, and arrived at its final U.S. destination—Convent, Louisiana, where it was dumped onto a carrier ship bound for Japan.

“Imagine all the loading and unloading that took place to that point, with a lot more to come,” Whitney describes. “It was cushioned inside dry grain, but it still easily could have gotten smashed at so many points.”

Next stop? Panama.

Globetrotter

Inside the belly of a bulk vessel as a tiny speck in a 2-million-bushel load of grain sorghum destined for a feed mill in Japan, Whitney’s iPhone left Louisiana and entered the Gulf of Mexico, slid into the Caribbean Sea, exited through the Panama Canal, chugged across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, and offloaded at a feed mill in Fukushima.

During the screening process, the iPhone was spotted by a vigilant—and caring—mill worker.

“It’s amazing on top of amazing,” Whitney explains. “The guy who found it could have tossed it in the garbage or kept it, but he thought, ‘Somebody across the world lost their cell. I’m gonna try and get it back to him.’”

“It took effort and concern to return my phone,” Whitney continues. “The mill worker went up his chain and then somebody else there went higher up the chain, and it turned into a phone call to their source—all the way in Convent, Louisiana. The folks in Japan then airmailed my phone to Louisiana. That was a lot of people in the agriculture grain trade industry trying to help someone they didn’t even know.”

In July 2014, nine months after accidentally turning his cell into a globetrotter, Whitney was rocked on his heels by a surreal phone call from Convent, Louisiana: “Did you lose a cell phone?”

“Yes, I did—almost a year ago,” answered Whitney.

“Well, I’ve got your phone, responded the caller. “What do you want me to do with it?”

Incredible Age

As the final leg of a near 20,000-mile journey, the iPhone was mailed from a grain facility in Convent to Chickasha—and arrived in superb condition.

“The guy in Convent charged it up when he got it from Japan and found out it belonged to me. He told me it’s not really that unusual for guys to lose cellphones in grain,” Whitney says. “He mailed it to me and I charged it again when I got it and started using it immediately. It was in the exact same condition as the day I lost it and all of the wedding pictures were right there.”

Despite a lifetime in agriculture, Whitney’s view of harvest and grain transport has changed.

“For a lot of people in the grain business, whether you’re a farmer or running a farm-related business, you never think about the grain after it’s out of your hands. Once you unload, you put it out of your mind because you’ve done your part. But my eyes have been opened.”

“Grain in central Oklahoma goes all over the planet and it’s that way in every U.S. state. We’re living in an incredible age of speed—grain grown in your field, moved across the globe, and consumed on the other side of the planet. It really shows how amazing our U.S. grain industry is.”

Sold

In 2014, Whitney’s lost iPhone story went viral, bouncing from local news to nationwide coverage on the Today Show to global reports via international media. However, social media stardom was not Whitney’s cup of tea. “I was done,” he says. “I got to the point where I literally quit answering my phone.”

Where does Whitney carry his smartphone today?

“In my cellphone holster where it’s supposed to go,” he exclaims. “I’ve always had a cellphone holster, but I didn’t use it on the day I lost my iPhone 5.”

And almost a decade after Whitney’s October mishap, where is the slippery iPhone 5?

“In hindsight, I should have kept it for nostalgia, but after several years it got time for an upgrade,” he laughs. “I went to a local phone store and called my wife, Alison: ‘I’m gonna upgrade my cell. Should I keep this old one?’”

“She told me, ‘It’s such a cool story so you’ve got to keep that old phone,’” Whitney recounts, while wearing a wide grin. “But when I told her the store was offering me $400 for it, she said, ‘Sold.’”

For more from Chris Bennett (cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Young Farmer uses YouTube and Video Games to Buy $1.8M Land

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

Avoid A Technology Setback With These Maintenance Tips

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 14:28:03 GMT

Growers know the steps and importance of maintaining their records, land and equipment, what about keeping up with their technology components?

Precision ag components are used in every season to help improve accuracy, monitor growth and increase yields. But when harvest is over, it’s time to take some consideration in how you store the investments you’ve made.

To avoid a major technology setback in the spring, Joshua Elhers, precision products coordinator at Heartland Ag Solutions , shares two precautions the ag industry can take now.

Think Twice About Controller and Display Storage
While preparing equipment for winter storage, take a moment to consider how the machine’s technology pieces should be prepped.

The first step to avoid damage is to clean out the machine’s cab and place bait or repellent for animals.

“Rodents can play havoc with wiring, so keeping them out of equipment can save a lot of headaches,” Ehlers says.

Next, consider removing the machine’s controllers and displays and bringing them indoors until you’re ready to prep for spring fieldwork.

“Controllers are no different than your laptop, tablet or flat-screen TV. You wouldn’t want them outside all winter,” Ehlers says.

Run Tests Before It’s Too Late
You wouldn’t want the first day you start up the tractor or sprayer to be the day you need it – only to find out it’s not running properly. The same goes for the technology inside.

Ehlers says checking all machine technology a month before you go to the field is ideal, but two to three days in advance should be the minimum. This doesn’t just mean the display – it applies to firmware and software too.

“Get it out early to confirm it works and do a software check to be sure nothing is out of date,” he says. “When engineers release a new software version, they typically are not testing the new version on something that’s 10 versions old or on a single piece of equipment with a single component. They work within a range.”

Ehlers shares he often sees issues from customers who have updated their display, but not the backend of the system – which can control things such as the camera, auto-boom height control, nozzle controls, etc.

An Important Wildcard In The 2024 Grain Storage Outlook

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 22:15:21 GMT

U.S. grain elevators see potential for big profits in the 2023/2024 marketing year.

According to a recent report from CoBank, an abundance of corn and soybeans has resulted in cheaper basis and bigger carries in futures markets. This follows two years of inverted futures markets.Despite improved conditions for the elevators, there’s a big obstacle standing in the way of their profit potential.

“Many grain farmers have the benefit of being in a very strong cash position following last year’s record farm income levels. They have been quite content to hold on to their grain since prices have fallen,” says Tanner Ehmke, CoBank grains and oilseeds economist.

Lack of Grain Ownership at Elevators
Farmers’ reluctance to sell has resulted in lower levels of grain ownership for elevators and many are currently unable to take advantage of the wider carries and basis levels.

As a result, many elevators are charging higher storage fees and implementing delayed pricing (DP) programs. These programs have become popular as farmers wait for a rally in prices. However, Ehmke encourages elevators to use caution around them.

“Trading DP bushels comes with challenges,” he says. “Although the elevator technically owns these bushels, shipping unpriced bushels is risky since basis could tighten on DP bushels that are already sold – resulting in a loss if the elevator did not sufficiently charge for the service.”

He advises those using DP to acquire corn and soybeans now should make sure their monthly rates are adequately priced to account for the greater financial risk of selling bushels not yet priced by the grower.

Storage Outlook
This scenario, however, is not anticipated to be long term.

“Higher land rents and borrowing costs, combined with rising prices for inputs like fertilizer, will probably motivate farmers to sell as the calendar turns to 2024,” he says.

CoBank anticipates farmers will likely begin selling their crops in January, February and March ahead of spring planting and upcoming operational expenses and/or when prices reach $5/bu. for corn and $14/bu. for soybeans.

The Wildcard
When it comes to basis, any rise is expected to be limited by the large supply of corn and soybeans. At the same time, cheaper transportation rates, strong end-user demand among livestock producers, ethanol plants and soybean crushers should protect it from a significant drop.

Soybean basis in particular is strong due to a smaller U.S. soybean harvest and record processor demand.

The significant unknown, however, revolves around exports.

“The biggest wildcard that could affect the carry in basis is the U.S. corn and soybean export program, which could be awakened by a poor South American harvest, a surprise resurgence of Chinese demand, a return to more normal water levels on the Mississippi River, and weakness in the U.S. dollar,” Ehmke says.

A poor South American crop could mean a tighter basis and narrower spreads in futures – which would look similar to the past two years. A larger crop, however, would likely result in a widening of carries in basis for elevators.

Storage Never Pays, Or Does It?

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 21:08:40 GMT

Some of the ‘top producers’ in my area have beautiful grain setups that are efficient, help with logistics and are expensive. Others have a fleet of trucks and haul their crop to local elevators or cooperatives. Neither is wrong, and both sides of these operations do a great job farming, managing people and logistics and growing good crops.

Why, then, is there a stark difference in these operations? One of the key components is storage. With storage considerations come a few key questions:

What is your operational geography?
How much do you like working on trucks?
Would you rather manage a bin site or more people?
Do you prefer cash or long-term assets?
What are your tax consequences?
What are historical basis and carry levels?

To help give an answer, we built an excel file that calculates the costs of storage, what you stand to benefit and how storage could fit into your operation.

Key considerations are geography, basis, and carry in the market, especially with higher interest rates than recent years. Locally, basis in river markets or high-producing areas can drop significantly during harvest. Even if deliveries are put into commercial storage versus cash sales, storage rates are expensive.

Local end-users should be rewarded when things like basis push, low shrink and free or cheap drying are offered. Storage bins often make delivery when these pushes come much easier for the farmer to take
advantage of.

Find Out If Storage Is Right For You
Regardless of your preferences or past assumptions on storage, please reach out to run your numbers in the tool and see if new storage or more storage might make sense in your operation.

My parting thought is about the years ahead. In the past three years, doing nothing and waiting on the market has been rewarded. I think we will see a shift away from that. In fact, many producers got burned this year with this mentality in their marketing plan.

These cycles come and go, and the top producers I know are making a mindset shift and planning for the future. You should, too.

Email Shay at shay@agviewsolutions for the new storage tool that calculates storage costs, the benefits and how it could fit into your operation.

Purdue Study: Grain Entrapments Rise to Highest Level in a Decade

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:40:07 GMT

The Purdue University Agricultural Safety and Health Program released the 2022 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities, which showed a 40.7% increase in the number of reported cases from 2021 to 2022.

Of the 83 incidents reported, 42 were grain-related entrapments, which made up 44.8% of cases — the highest number reported in over a decade. Because not every case is reported, these numbers are approximate.

States having the most documented confined space cases of all types in 2022, including fatal and non-fatal, were Iowa (24), Indiana (6), Minnesota (6), and Ohio (6). The report findings follow the aftermath of a grain elevator collapse in Tynan, Texas outside of Corpus Christi where silos ruptured and collapsed causing fatalities on the July 4 holiday.

Out-of-condition grain plays a large role in raising the risk for accidents.

“Many entrapments result from someone entering a bin or structure to break loose clumped, spoiled grain. Keep the grain in good condition to eliminate the need to enter the bin,” says Edward Sheldon, research associate, Purdue University Agricultural Safety and Health Program .

Purdue urges farmers and agribusiness employers to recognize the hazards of grain bins, silos, manure storage and other confined spaces and use educational resources, such as Gearing Up for Safety by Purdue’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering.

Related News:

Rural Heroes: John Deere Supports Volunteer Firefighters With Documentary Film

To the Rescue: First Responders With the Right Tools Can Make the Difference in Grain Bin Accidents

Close Call to Story of Survival: How a Missouri Farmer Beat Death After Trapped In Grain Bin for 2.5 Hours

Exclusive: Iowa Man Explains How He Miraculously Walked Out of a Grain Bin After Frightening 2-Hour Entrapment

Rural Heroes: John Deere Supports Volunteer Firefighters With Documentary Film

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 18:42:33 GMT

Farming looks different when you are saving your neighbor’s farm.

Rural America is tightly woven by the threads of community. While the population is increasing, the number of volunteer firefighters is dwindling rapidly. John Deere and the National Volunteer Fire Council recognize the deficit and have partnered to educate and recruit volunteer firefighters to the call through their documentary film “Odd Hours, No Pay, Cool Hat.”

Approximately 75% of our country is protected by volunteer first responders, many of them farmers and ranchers. With their working knowledge of farm systems, building construction, mechanics, and an intrinsic passion for serving, they are ideal volunteer firefighters. With the recent spike in equipment costs and fuel, lack of training resources, and the growing population, rural fire departments have seen a large decline in both personnel and infrastructure. The COVID pandemic shut down many training opportunities for volunteer firefighters. An overall lack of time and bandwidth due to farm operation requirements and other family obligations for potential volunteers is also stunting the growth of the volunteer fire service as a whole.

Volunteer fire departments have been greatly affected by the rapid inflation of equipment costs, fuel, and insurance for members. A new engine now costs, on average, $500,000 to $1 million. A new ambulance can have a price tag of more than $200,000. Many volunteer fire departments have resigned themselves to purchasing well-used and, in many cases, older emergency response vehicles just to have the ability to mitigate emergencies. These departments often have to cover the cost of gear and equipment in order to keep the service open.

Why John Deere Supports Firefighters

The company’s founder, John Deere, was a volunteer firefighter in the 1800s. Today, Deere employees volunteer their time and expertise to support volunteer fire departments across the country.

Nate Clark, John Deere’s global director for corporate social responsibility and president of the John Deere Foundation, said Deere’s employees reported more than 13,000 hours volunteering as firefighters and emergency responders in 2022. John Deere, himself, fell victim to two fires before moving his business to Moline, Iowa. He never forgot the need to have emergency services directly on the site of his factory and built the Deere Hose Company in the 1870s.

Together, John Deere and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have joined forces to support the new documentary film “Odd Hours, No Pay, Cool Hat.” The idea for the film came from the rich heritage of community partnership and volunteer service that has been paramount to protecting those in their greatest time of need. Farmers and firefighters often work hand in hand to respond to emergency calls for service during snow and thunderstorms. My husband has personally witnessed farmers bringing their own farm equipment to the homes of their neighbors to assist with the removal of trees in the aftermath of a tornado that swept through our area earlier this spring. Farmers are often seen at the site of field fires cultivating the farm ground to prevent expansion.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, emergency medical response accounts for nearly 75% of all emergency calls for service. Though only a small percentage of these medical calls are for truly life-threatening situations, the dwindling number of EMS providers available to volunteer their time to respond to these calls only taxes the medically trained that much more. Farmers are human too. As is often the case, the farmer/volunteer firefighter will come home after a 16+ hour day in the fields or tending to the animals and go to bed exhausted. A call for emergency response will be toned out at 3 a.m. at the house of a neighbor or colleague, and the farmer will get out of bed, get dressed, and respond to help in any capacity he or she can at that time. The sense of obligation to protect lives deep in the hearts of volunteer firefighters and their efforts deserved to be highlighted.

These valiant efforts were not lost on John Deere Corporation and the National Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, who teamed up to highlight the sacrifices of farmers who give more to their communities than just a farm. The film is the result of countless hours of research by both organizations to benefit rural volunteer firefighters and their communities.

How You Can Help

Visit oddhoursfilm.com to watch the teaser, discover volunteer opportunities, and learn more about the “Make Me a Firefighter” initiative .

Is Your Local Fire Department in Need of a Grain Bin Rescue Tube and Training? Nationwide Wants to Help

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 17:43:08 GMT

Grain bins dot the countryside across the U.S., but did you know that over the past 50 years, there have been 900 cases of grain bin engulfments ? That’s why Nationwide and supporting partners hold Grain Bin Safety Week each year, hoping with enough discussion, the number of grain bin entrapments continues to decline, while the number of successful rescues continues to increase.

In 2014, Nationwide launched Grain Bin Safety Week , an effort to not only get the essential grain bin rescue tools in the hands of first responders, but also the essential training.

“We started this program back in 2014, to really partner with our agents and with a bunch of sponsors across the country to get the tools, the training, and more importantly, the resources out there to allow these folks to be educated on the dangers and the risks, but also help these fire departments and some lifesaving maneuvers that they can do to help save people if if the in the event something bad happens,” says Laramie Sandquist, associate vice president of Risk Management, Agribusiness for Nationwide.

In 2019 alone, there were 29 different entrapments, that resulted in 11 fatalities, and it’s estimated about 30% of grain bin rescues are never reported. Seeing the continued need for more tools and training, Nationwide introduced a program to help award grain bin rescue tubes to fire departments across the country, which also includes the necessary hands-on training that can be costly.

“Most of these tubes run anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000,” Sandquist says. “And the training itself, if you got it on the open market, would be somewhere in that same range. So, you’re looking at a $6,000- to $8,000-investment that a fire department would have to make.”

Each year, Nationwide partners with agricultural safety and training organizations to award emergency first responders with grain rescue tubes and the necessary hands-on rescue training. Sandquist says over the past decade, Nationwide has supplied more than $1 million worth of resources and training to local fire and rescue departments across the country, and the program isn’t finished.

From now through April 30, you can nominate your local fire and rescue department that still needs the grain bin rescue tube and training. This year alone, Nationwide hopes to award 50 grain bin rescue tubes from KC Supply , and necessary training, as the company continues to see those rescue tools help save lives.

“One of the more humbling statistics that we have is we’ve been able to at least save six lives as part of this program itself,” says Sandquist. “And we actually just had a recent save in Delaware, which used these tubes. So, the awareness is getting out there.”

To learn how you can nominate a fire and rescue department in need of rescue equipment, as well as training.

Related Stories:

Exclusive: Iowa Man Explains How He Miraculously Walked Out of a Grain Bin After Frightening 2-Hour Entrapment

Close Call to Story of Survival: How a Missouri Farmer Beat Death After Trapped In Grain Bin for 2.5 Hours

How to Avoid the 7 Common Grain Bin Storage Problems

3 Less Common, Big Grain Storage Problems to Avoid

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

You’re familiar with routine maintenance on grain bins—activities that take about a half an hour—but are you aware of other major problems to watch? While checking for these problems, and subsequently solving them, takes time, it’s critical to good long-term storage.

1. Plugged bin floors

Chaffey grain, damaged grain and other ‘trash’ problems at harvest lead to more than just docks at the elevator. These small particles can gather under the floor and in the aeration holes to cause air flow issues.

“That happens more often than people realize,” says Gary Woodruff, GSI district manager. “You’ll notice it when you can’t get your grain cool. Debris is pushed by the fan, so it starts to build up on one side, until the whole floor is plugged.”

When this happens, you have to take a considerable amount of time to fix the issue—or risk poor aeration and spoiled grain. First, clean out the bin entirely so you can lift the floor. When the floor is lifted use a vacuum or do a good job sweeping the trash and debris that gathered in the space between the concrete and bin floor.

“If the holes are plugged, you can take a wire brush or a hand grinder to get those cleared so you have good air movement,” says John Hanig, Sukup bin sales director. “This isn’t something you’ll have to do every year—maybe every eight to 10 depending on how trashy the grain is.”

However, it’s easy to check and a good idea to look for every year—just in case.

2. Habitats for rodents

Have you ever seen a mouse or rate in a freshly-cut lawn? Or sunbathing on concrete? Probably not—which means these are the environments you want surrounding your grain bins.

“Typically, mice and rats build their nests in control boxes where the wiring is around the magnetic starters, contactors, really any place they can make a nest around wiring,” says Randy Coffee, vice president of marketing for Superior Grain. “And then they’ll start chewing through the wiring which can cause major issues.”

The easiest way to discourage mice and rats from invading the buffet you call a grain bin, is to pour a few feet of concrete around the outside of the bin so they have no natural protection from predators and are less likely to run into the bin. Keeping the grass mowed short also works but requires more frequent maintenance.

“Anytime you’re out there, make sure there is no debris around the base of the bin,” Hanig says. “Grass and leaves gather moisture and can rust out the bottom, so sweep those out after mowing.”

In addition, avoid “junk piles” of equipment near bins. It gives rodents another place to hang out near ample food supplies provided by the bin.

3. Insect infestations

Did you ever have a load get to the elevator that surprises you because it’s been just eaten up by insects? What are you doing to that bin? Or do the insects get a free ride to another snack with the new grain?

“Clean the inside of your bin and then treat it for insects,” Woodruff says. “If you go to the university websites, they’ll make recommendations for your region, including what kind of insecticide you should use and how to apply it.”

The cost for treatment is low—even under $10 per bin, depending on the chemical. With typical applications, you’ll just go around the outside edges of the bin on the inside and outside to prevent insect entry. This type of preventative maintenance can help save you major costs associated with fumigation.

However, if you have severe infestation you might need to work with an expert to fumigate the bin. That will take days instead of hours—so make sure you’re correcting these problems well before harvest starts.

While it’s three extra steps, these ‘uncommon’ maintenance checks can save you time and money in the long run. Your stored grain is your paycheck at the end of the year—protect it.

Here’s another way to prepare for harvest, join the virtual Farm Journal Field Days Aug. 25-27. You’ll hear from speakers and experts about everything from agronomics, to marketing, to livestock concerns. Register here.

Storage

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Take Our Poll: What Percentage Of Your Old Crop Is Still In The Bin?

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10 Ways to Refresh and Retool Your Grain Bins

1. On-Farm Drying System

2. Power Sweep

3. Fan Upgrades

4. Walk-Through Doors

5. Add Stairs, Handrails to Outside

6. Hazard Monitoring Sensors

7. Remote Grain Monitoring

8. Sump Savers or Well Guard

9. Fan Shutters

10. Roof Vents

The Concept of Phantom Yield Loss

Regret Is An Emotion With Deep Tentacles: Thus Is the Story Of Corn in the Bin

New Study: Why Farmers Fall Into Two Camps If They Sell Or Store Grain

Farmer Shocked After Lost iPhone Circles Globe, Returns Home

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An Important Wildcard In The 2024 Grain Storage Outlook

Storage Never Pays, Or Does It?

Purdue Study: Grain Entrapments Rise to Highest Level in a Decade

Rural Heroes: John Deere Supports Volunteer Firefighters With Documentary Film

Is Your Local Fire Department in Need of a Grain Bin Rescue Tube and Training? Nationwide Wants to Help

3 Less Common, Big Grain Storage Problems to Avoid

Here’s another way to prepare for harvest, join the virtual Farm Journal Field Days Aug. 25-27. You’ll hear from speakers and experts about everything from agronomics, to marketing, to livestock concerns. Register here.