Elise Schafer

The demolition of 146 concrete silos in Lincoln, Nebraska, is slated to be completed by the end of 2026. The high-reach demolition excavator extends 120 feet, enabling a safer structure removal from the top to bottom. Subscribe to Magazine America's grain infrastructure is reaching a critical decision point.

Randy Hirschfield, senior field service engineer for WEM Automation, draws on nearly 50 years of feed mill experience to identify inventory control as the industry's biggest data challenge, especially as ingredients grow harder to source. He recommends barcoding as a practical starting point, giving mills real-time visibility into inventory for better production scheduling.

Typical warming from spring to summer is one of the most consistent triggers of stored grain quality loss. During colder months, grain quality stabilizes. But as outside temperatures climb, stored grain becomes increasingly vulnerable. The grain mass inside bins warms unevenly, and that temperature differential drives moisture migration ‚ÄĒ particularly if grain was stored at elevated moisture levels or without proper cooling.