While some will sell it directly off the combine, many will use early harvest capabilities, storage and later delivery dates to hedge their investment and get the highest return for their hard work.

However, getting the most from each grain investment means ensuring grain quality remains at its highest level, even as it may need storage through the winter months and beyond. This means achieving the proper moisture level and avoiding mould or other pest issues.

The team at GSI knows that protecting each year’s crop is one of the most significant factors keeping farmers up at night. That’s why they’re developing innovative solutions to give farmers peace of mind and make their lives easier.

Drying grain with GSI Connect

Launched at the 2023 Commodity Classic, GSI Connect provides remote monitoring and control of GSI grain dryers to improve quality, minimize risk and save on operational costs.

For years, producers have used systems such as GSI’s website-based WatchDog to monitor their grain dryers remotely, which allowed farmers to step away from their actual dryer controller, knowing they could check in and make adjustments from the web.

But mobile and app-based platforms have become vital to how many producers run their operations. So, GSI took the next step of truly putting grain monitoring in the palm of their hands.

A mobile-first application, the GSI Connect app offers dryer access in a user-friendly platform without a deep menu and multitudes of steps. The app shows precisely what is happening in the dryer, displaying factors ranging from temperature and moisture to output data and component status. Farmers can adjust set points and settings or stop the dryer directly from their smartphones. No matter where the day or night takes them, they can know their dryers are operating at peak efficiency with text alerts and push notifications to keep them updated.

GSI Connect integrates with GSI’s portable and quiet dryers, dryer sensors and other processing capabilities to provide the data needed to optimize decision-making and profit potential, all while giving farmers peace of mind.

Managing and monitoring stored grain with GrainVue

Once grain comes out of the dryer and into the bin, keeping a close eye on that stored grain lets producers pursue higher premiums and maximize every bushel harvested. GSI’s GrainVue is a premier grain management system that uses an easy-to-understand dashboard and cloud connectivity to let growers assess and make decisions about their stored grain, no matter where they are, with 24/7 alerts and updates accessible from a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.

In addition to the standard monitoring capabilities offered by grain management systems, such as moisture, temperature and inventory, GrainVue also includes automated aeration management that farmers can use to reach their goals.

The system can:

• Use natural air to aid in drydown, running the fans only when the outside conditions are favorable, helping save energy.
• Automate the cool-down process as grain comes out of the dryer, taking advantage of the cooler nighttime air temperatures and turning fans on and off to maximize the cooling capability, running the fans only when needed.
• Rehydrate soybeans back to the market standard of 13% by automating the process of operating fans during periods of higher relative humidity and pulling moist air into the bin until the beans reach the desired moisture level.
• Use aeration to slowly warm the grain to keep the grain temperature within 10 degrees of the outside temperature, limiting the temperature differential and condensation within the bin. This feature is important for summer storage.
• Monitor CO2 levels inside the bin. CO2 is an early indicator of grain spoilage because when insects, mold and fungi are active, their activity creates elevated levels of CO2 within the bin. Studies have shown that CO2 monitoring informs farmers about spoilage issues 3-5 weeks earlier than traditional temperature and moisture monitoring. 

So what’s next?

For half a century, GSI has developed products that farmers need to protect their grain investment. As technology advances, farmers must have access to opportunities to be more efficient and automated across their operations. GrainVue and GSI Connect are two ways that GSI shows its commitment to making farmers’ lives easier. They’re the foundation of GSI’s innovative technology future.