Vermeer Corporation, a leading manufacturer of agricultural equipment, introduces a new wagon-style cob collection system that will revolutionize corn harvesting by enabling farmers to harvest corn and cobs simultaneously.

The Vermeer CCX770 Cob Harvester is designed to tow immediately behind select corn harvesting combines to collect and unload the cobs.

“This new patented Vermeer cob harvesting machine is a solution for supplying corn cobs for cellulosic ethanol production,” says Vermeer Product Manager Jay Van Roekel. “It's easy to attach to the combine, is self-contained and cost-effective. This innovative product can help farms by diversifying their harvest in collecting bio-mass materials for resale or reuse as well as supporting our country's efforts to produce home grown energy.”

Corn cobs are certainly not an unknown commodity. There are many other opportunities for the use of corn cobs outside cellulosic ethanol production, such as livestock feed supplement for mixed rations, livestock and pet animal bedding, blending cobs with coal to co-generate electricity, gasification to create several types of energy for industrial processes and other industrial applications including construction materials, abrasives and absorbents.

The cob harvester concept was originally developed by an innovative Midwest farmer who saw a need and acted on it, “much like the founder of Vermeer Corporation, Gary Vermeer, did 60 years ago in 1948.” According to Van Roekel, test harvesting is being conducted throughout 2008 to evaluate performance and efficiency. Vermeer will then communicate product launch plan and availability for the 2009 harvest season.

For more information on Vermeer Agricultural equipment, log into the Vermeer Ag Web site at www.vermeerag.com.