Leading Edge Industries, creator of the Load Judge system, has a new product - Operation Harvest Sweep. The system replaces existing deck plates and gathering chains in corn headers with patent-pending components designed to reduce shatter loss. The company claims extensive field tests show the product can reduce shatter loss by 80 to 85%.

Operation Harvest Sweep kit aims to boost grain quality at harvest, and prevent harvest losses.

Available for most popular makes and models of corn headers, each kit contains deck plates, gathering chains, impact pads and hardware for one row unit. Operation Harvest Sweep deck plates are lipped to retain shattered kernels, rather than letting them fall to the ground. And the gathering chains have sweps to bring the kernels from the deck plates to the auger. Those gathering chains also have impact pads for gentler grain handling.

With less corn falling to the ground, the company says farmers may also see less volunteer corn in a corn/soybean rotation. That can be a boost to the bottom line by reducing herbicide needs and protecting crop nutrients for the intended crop.

In a media statement, Shawn Gengerke, founder of Leading Edge Industries, comments: "I had a hard time watching kernels fall out of my corn header all day long, after investing a lot of money and time for the best possible yield, and then having to battle volunteer corn the following year in my soybeans. It was time to do something about it."

Cost for the system is $1,650 per row. Learn more at harvestsweep.com.