Farm Progress

A Michigan farmer has installed a system that allows him to burn woodchips to dry grain, and it’s saving him money too.

Willie Vogt

February 3, 2023

20 Min Listen

At a Glance

  • Rising energy prices have farmers seeking new approaches on the farm, including drying grain.
  • A Michigan farmer found a system that uses woodchips to for drying grain, and in the first year it offered savings.
  • Around Farm Progress podcast offers a look at the system with behind-the-scenes insights from the story's author.

Grain drying costs can be a killer, and farmers work on ways to enhance efficiency to cut that energy bill. From installing new, more efficient dryers, to changing the energy source, innovation abounds. And for one Michigan farmer, the answer was wood chips. Jennifer Kiel with American Agriculturist discovered this drying innovation on a trip to a farm late in 2022.

In this episode of Around Farm Progress, she shares what she learned and offers some behind-the-scenes insights on the installation of this innovation. Turning to renewable fuel as a source for drying grain could be a choice for more farmers, provided they work through the logistics and the investment. She shares that there are also programs that support these changes, including one from USDA – Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP. And there are more.

If you’re considering alternative ways to dry grain on the farm, give this episode a listen. It’s a conversation that digs into the costs of such an investment, and insights on the idea of using renewable energy sources for drying grain.

BONUS: Kiel also shares an interesting update on the Michigan sugar beet crop, which was challenged in 2021 with too much crop. She shares how 2022 turned out, so don’t miss what she learned. And she offers a surprise in crop choices in the state too.

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Read more about:

Around Farm Progress

About the Author(s)

Willie Vogt

Willie Vogt has been covering agricultural technology for more than 40 years, with most of that time as editorial director for Farm Progress. He is passionate about helping farmers better understand how technology can help them succeed, when appropriately applied.

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