What is a Grain Bag? A Grain Bag is simply a long PE (polyethylene) bag that comes in sizes of; 9 ft. x 200 ft. with a capacity of around 8,200 bushels of wheat or 8,000 bushel of corn. (empty bag weight is 270 lbs.) 9 ft. x 250 ft. with a capacity of around 10,260 bushels of wheat or 10,000 bushels of corn. (empty bag weight is 335 lbs.) *Amount varies with moisture content, specific weight and bagger pressure settings. The bag is sealed airtight with a life of 1 to 1.5 years in the open, preventing the development and reproduction of fungus and insect. This airtight environment can eliminate the need for chemicals with an average bag cost of 7¢ cents per bushel of stored grain. These unique Grain Bags allow for storage amounts to vary by simply cutting the bag and resealing it again. What makes Grain Bags unique? The Grain Bag is a laminated mix of three layers of polyethylene, with the first two layers acting as a UV filter. The third layers is black and is designed to keep out the sunlight. The bags are designed to stretch to a maximum of 10% measured during the filling process to prevent overfilling. The unique, specialized-design of Grain Bags allow for storage versatility, whether in the field where harvesting is taking place or a grain storage site, as long as the bags are placed on clean ground with good drainage and free of sharp objects. How do you fill a Grain Bag? The Grain Bags are filled by a specially designed bag-filling machine that can be filled from the combine, grain cart or similar types of machinery. The loading capacity of the filling machine is about 7,000 bushels per hour depending on the grain type. How do you unload a Grain Bag? The Grain Bag is emptied by a machine that rolls the bag up as it augers the grain out at up to 7,000 bushels per hour. This E180T Akron unloader can be used to empty bags of fertilizers. Grain Bag Storage System Advantages The harvest will not be delayed waiting for storage to become available on farm or elsewhere. The Grain Bag can be put in the field where harvesting is taking place or anywhere on the farm. Grains can be stored as to their variety, grade, protein, and moisture or for any other reason. Bag cost of 7¢ cents per bushel of stored grain. The high price of freight during harvest can be avoided by negotiating a freight rate on a back load or by shopping around for after harvest rates. Grain can be freighted after harvest, freeing up time during harvest. Quality Assurance Control. The opportunity to grow, store and market, niche crops on farm. Grains retain their quality, including color. Gives the producer control and time to market the crop. Hasty decisions on pricing your commodities at harvest when pricing can be complicated and can cost you money. Marketing your commodity knowing that you have the crop in the bag rather than before harvest, hoping you can achieve the bushels to fill contracts. Storage in a bumper season is unlimited. The Grain Bags are sealed airtight, therefore chemicals are not required. No withholding period. Perfect for organic commodities. Reduced reliance on chemicals helping to delay resistance. Eliminated costly on farm storage systems, tying up capital. Flexibility at all times from harvest to marketing and feeding of commodity. The equipment that makes Grain Bag a System We can put together the correct equipment to meet your specific needs. Click below to learn more about each product. Akron Baggers & Unloaders Mainero Baggers & Unloaders Ipesa Plastics Click Here to read more common questions and answers on our "blog". Akron Baggers & Unloaders Akron baggers and Akron unloader models http://www.akron.com.ar The Akron 9250 grain bagger's user friendly features: Disc Brakes...the dual hydraulic brakes are controlled by a single crank. This simple crank and pressure gauge ensures the bagger to move straight and fill the bag evenly. Bag loader...the self-contained bag loader mechanism prevents climbing on the tunnel to install the bag. The Akron EH 180T bag unloader... will load out over 7000 bushels/hr. This heavy duty, roll-up style unloader will even load out fertilizer. The EH 180 empties the bag while rolling up the bag on an on-board, hydraulic powered roller. Lights are standard equipment. The Akron EG 180T bag unloader...can move from field to transport quicker and unloads at 6000 bushels/hr. The 16" auger hydraulically folds down for more compact transporting. Mainero Baggers & Unloaders Mainero baggers and Mainero unloader models http://www.mainero.com.ar The Mainero 2230 grain bagger's user friendly features: Disc Brakes...The dual hydraulic brake pressure control is regulated by one single valve. This constant and even pressure controls the bagger so it moves straight and fills the bag evenly. Over-sized Hopper...The filling hopper can be offset to load grain in hopper more easily. The see-through window on the filling hopper makes for easy viewing while filling bagger. "Easy-load Bag system...Mainero utilizes a self contained bag loader mechanism for easy, fast & safer bag loading; no climbing on a slippery bag tunnel to install bag. Self-propelled option available The Mainero 2330 unloader...the ultimate flat storage unloader has over 4500 bu./hr. capacity. The 2330 can empty bags or flat storage. Ipesa Plastics Once the grain is bagged, the bag consumes the available oxygen and produces carbon dioxide, thus suppressing the respiratory process and assuring an optimum preservation. This new atmosphere keeps stable over time, preventing the development and proliferation of fungi and insects as well as the increase in grain temperature. Some grains can be stored in airtight bags at slightly higher moisture levels than what is considered safe for storage in bins. IpesaSilo grain bags are made of state-of-the-art raw materials from Dow Polisur; three-layer UV protected; 18-month warranty; and not any recycled material in their formulation. Uses: Dry grains: soybean, corn, sorghum, wheat, sunflower, millet, oats, rice, barley, etc. Wet grains: corn, sorghum, wheat, etc. Fertilizers Technical Papers on Storage of Grains: Corn (known as "Maize" outside of the US) - Soybeans - Wheat - Sunflowers How to Contact Us FOR SOUTHERN U.S. Hood & Company, Inc - download printable brochure 4805 E. Farm Rd. 144 Springfield, MO 65809 Phone: 417-865-2100 (office) E-Mail: hoodco@hoodco.com FOR NORTHERN U.S. Twiestmeyer & Associates, Inc. - download printable brochure 3119 Briarwood Blvd. Grand Island, Nebraska 68801 Phone: 308-390-2660 (cell) E-Mail: gotwist@aol.com FOR CANADA Grain Bags Canada Box 151 Lake Lenore, SK S0K 2J0 Aaron: 306-368-2266 (office) Craig: 306-231-9937 (cell) 306-368-2620 (fax) E-Mail: yeagercraig@hotmail.com For Austrlian Inquires visit http://www.silobag.com.au A Letter from Ian Metherall Australian born Ian Metherall is the one responsible for bringing the amazing Grain Bag technology to the United States and Canada. In Australia the bags are called "Silo Bags" and here is a letter from Ian about them. Silo Bags are a revolution in the grain industry. The impact of this new and exciting technology is spreading rapidly across the world, and is changing the way the grain is stored, handled, transported as well as been traded. It is a powerful tool that has many benefits for the farmers as well as the grain industry at large. The challenge however is for the grain industry to learn how to work with this technology for its benefit's rather than seeing it as a threat. Silo Bags for dry grain were introduced in Argentina approx 7 years ago, and such has been the growth of this technology, 30 million tonnes, or 20% of the total Argentina harvest, was stored in Silo Bags last season. This was curtailed only by the lack of supply of product! It is expected that this season in Argentina, 25% of the crop will be stored in bags. Silo Bags gives the growers the flexibility to store grain in a safe and secure manner at harvest instead of having to sell and be "price takers". The flow on effect of this on the farm economy has been dramatic, with Silo Bag users experiencing significant gains in returns as result of being able to market when they want to, and to take advantage of any changes in market conditions. Further, farmers are finding that Silo Bags have become a useful harvest tool, allowing the harvest to be completed much more quickly, with less labour and less reliance on trucking contractors. The lack of reliance of trucks during harvest means that growers can also experience significant savings in freight costs by moving wheat outside of the season itself. Another advantage of the system is that it is "organic" and chemical free. Because the bags are hermitically sealed, any remaining oxygen is consumed by natural processes. This in turn produces carbon dioxide, which creates a stable environment that prohibits the development and reproduction of fungal diseases and insects. Segregation is another great advantage of the system. The bag system allows the grains to be stored according to their quality and commercial identity, allowing greater returns to the industry for the better quality grains. Silo Bags undertook a trial with the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) in 2005, and such was the success of this trial, the AWB launched an On Farm Storage program to the industry this year using the technology, offering a number of benefits to growers. Malt Barley is also successfully stored in Silo Bags, and Canola also has been successfully stored in the bags. Very significant savings can be made by storing the grain directly into the bag on farm and then out loading and transporting directly to the end user/client. This saves unnecessary transport costs, and other storage and handling charges. Some growers have even been loading shipping containers directly from the bag in the paddock for shipment to clients overseas, allowing growers to value add and market their own produce direct to boutique markets overseas. Not only is the system low cost, and also has the advantage of the industry having to only purchase the storage "they" need, but is extremely quick and efficient. In loading can be achieved at up to 250 tonnes per hour, while out loading can be achieved at about 180 tonnes per hour. Silo Bags was presented with Machine of the year at both the Henty and National field days, and Silo Bags has recently completed tour with it's latest innovation, the self propelled bagger. This bagger was towed behind a utility where it successfully bagged at demonstration sites under it's own power from a 30hp motor. This award-winning machine requires no tractor at all, and Silo Bags sees significant potential for this latest development in its North American markets. Silo Bags Australia currently has agents in USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Africa and has recently begun exports to India and the Middle East. Each market has it's own set of challenges which need to be addressed. Silo Bags are a revolution that are changing the grain Industry around the world, and companies such as AWB, Louis Dreyfus, Cargill and Bunge all recognise the benefits of this technology and are actively using the system. Signed, Ian Metherall