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Tag Archives Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute

In-bin and dedicated grain dryer systems have different capabilities, according to an Alberta research study.
Crops, Equipment, Machinery

How to choose between an in-bin or dedicated grain drying system

It all depends on your objectives, expert says

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With short seasons and what seems like increasingly unpredictable weather patterns these days, many growers now routinely using grain drying systems to add a little time to the harvest window. But for those considering an investment in a grain drying system, how do you choose which one is right for your farm? Producers can opt […] Read more
A mobile biomass densification system, developed at PAMI in Portage la Prairie and shown here in a 2012 video, was used to process biomass such as straw into solid blocks, for ease of transport or for use in biomass burners. (BioScience Association Manitoba video screengrab via YouTube)
Crops, Machinery

PAMI to close Portage la Prairie location

Revenue challenges in recent years blamed for Manitoba site's closure

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The product development, testing and design firm Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI), will be closing its Portage la Prairie, Man. location at the end of July. Citing revenue challenges in recent years as the reason for downsizing, the institute informed staff and clients of the closure of its River Road facility in Portage, prior to […] Read more
A study by Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute indicates more powerful fans may be needed to properly condition canola in larger bins. However, installing something like this 50-horsepower centrifugal fan could require you upgrade your electrical system to three-phase power as well.
Features, News

The challenge with large grain bins when storing canola

Fan limitations can make it harder to store canola safely

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Grain bins on Prairie farms are generally a lot bigger than they used to be. But have best practices for storage management kept pace? Charley Sprenger, a research project lead at Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) in Portage la Prairie, Man., addressed that question during her Canola Week 2021 presentation on canola storage. “A lot […] Read more
Taking the time to make a few changes before hitting the field at seeding time can help plump up your piggy bank.
Crops, Equipment

Sask. producer takes a ‘tip-to-tail’ look at seeding efficiencies

Saskatchewan farmer (and former researcher) says small changes can lead to savings over time

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Buying a new piece of seeding equipment that promises better efficiency can work for farmers, but don’t forget the small, unsexy things that can help drive efficiency gains and incrementally save you money over time. That was the message of a presentation called, “The Penny-Pincher’s Guide to Seeding Efficiency,” delivered by Nathan Gregg, a Paynton, […] Read more
Is it just a matter of slowing down your ground speed to remedy harvest loss?

Equipment, Machinery, News

PAMI engineer offers combine adjustment advice

How to make sure grain goes into 
your hopper, not out the back

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Speaking at an event in Brandon in March, Joel McDonald, an engineer working for PAMI (Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute), gave producers the benefit of his years of experience in evaluating combine performance. “This is a quote I like to use about managing your harvest, and your combine,” he told the crowd. “‘A combine is a […] Read more
Wheat seeds spilling from hand, close-up
Equipment, Machinery

Monitoring your harvest loss

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Nearly every modern combine has a loss monitor in it. But what exactly are those monitors telling you? What, if anything, can you understand from the blinking lights on those graphics? During a presentation to growers in Brandon in March, Joel McDonald, an engineer at the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute, said PAMI undertook a study […] Read more
Keith Gabert, Canola Council of Canada agronomist, uses a simple tub and bleach system to sterilize his work boots and avoid spreading disease from field to field.
Canola, Features

Disease-free boots and a testing tool

Spotted in the field: homemade ideas that don't cost a lot, but work

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They are two separate topics completely, but here are a couple of good ideas that western Canadian field specialists came up with for sanitizing rubber boots to reduce the risk of spreading clubroot (or any soil borne disease), and a handy homemade sample collection tool for measuring spray volumes when calibrating a field sprayer. Boot […] Read more
For all three setups, Chad Bown had the heater between the fan and the bin. This fan-heater-bin sequence is recommended for canola.
Canola, Crops

Turn up the heat on aeration fans when drying canola

Some growers grappling with a late harvest and high-moisture crops in 2016 added supplemental heaters to their aeration fans. This grower’s experience may inspire an upgrade to aeration setups for 2017

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Things were a little off with Harvest 2016 and Chad Bown was desperate. The farmer from Ranfurly, Alta., was combining 14 per cent moisture canola in late November after a month or more of snow delays. Delivery locations were full, so on-farm storage was his only option. But aeration fans blowing cool air could not […] Read more
aerated grain bins
Crops, Equipment, Features

Adding heat to dry out grain in the bin

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Supplemental heat can turn a poor drying day in November into a beautiful drying day, says Joy Agnew, who manages ag research services at Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI). “Even if it’s 100 per cent humidity outside and it’s cold, if you warm the air by 10 degrees, you cut the humidity by half. Now […] Read more
In the summer, farmers can be so busy that they leave wheat in the bins too long or fail to check it regularly.
Cereals, Crops, Features

Grain in the bin still needs your attention

Once the crop is in the bin, it still needs attention and careful management

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Success with wheat crops has much in common with being a good parent: You can do everything else to raise them right, but if you spoil them it’s all for naught. “Wheat needs to be managed in storage or you risk a huge loss of revenue,” said Dr. Joy Agnew, Project Manager — Agricultural Research […] Read more

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