SBIR-STTR Award

Small and mid-sized farmers, custom harvesters, and universities lose millions of dollars annually to antiquated methods of moisture sampling grain prior to harvest. In 1963, the USDA standardized electronic moisture sampling. Today, all U.S. grain terminals/elevators are required to use electronic moisture sampling machines that are calibrated and inspected to USDA standards. Problem: Efficiently obtaining a grain sample for moisture testing. Grain elevators charge dockage fees to farmers for grain that is too wet or too dry. Farmers must use full-sized combines to test moisture. This method requires hours of driving time, depreciation ($120/hr.), fuel, and labor expenses. A 2000-acre wheat farm missing the optimum harvest time loses $1600/day. Urban farmers and University test plots (50,000 head rows and 18,000 test plots in Nebraska alone) lack a cost effective method to harvest grain other than hand harvesting. The proposed miniaturized combine, a handheld, battery-powered device to rapidly harvest, thresh, and test moisture will eliminate the need to use large equipment for sampling. Objective: Collaboration with University of Nebraska Agronomy Department and Innovation Campus will test the accuracy and mechanical design on multiple varieties of grain. Field trials other than UNL plots, in major grain producing states (Texas through Montana) will be carried out simultaneously with test units operated by select farmers and custom grain harvesters. Educational outreach will be accomplished through UNL’s Extension Educators, multiple state tradeshows, field demonstrations, and traditional marketing avenues aimed at grain growers.

Anticipated Results:
Our device will allow farmers to quickly sample any field, any time, to monitor moisture. University seed breeders will harvest test plots without cross contamination of varieties. Urban farmers will finally harvest backyard or small farm grains mechanically. Small grain farmers (500,000) in the U.S. will benefit by increased yields and profitability when using our device, as will small-scale foreign farmers currently using hand-harvesting methods. A worldwide market will be created. Manufacturing in the U.S. will generate jobs in rural areas.

Summary: The Phase I feasibility study proved the ability of the GrainGoat to replace a full-sized combine for the collection of grain for pre-harvest moisture testing with a potential savings to farmers and harvesters of $44M/day across the US during harvest season. The GrainGoat successfully harvested, threshed, and tested the moisture content in several crop varieties. Since the innovative GrainGoat is the only handheld machine that can harvest, thresh and moisture sample on the spot it is imperative that extensive educational outreach be performed. The GrainGoat is not a "better" mousetrap it is the "only" mousetrap whose existence must be made known to all in the grain industry around the world. Problem: Feedback from researchers testing the GrainGoat concluded the weight must be reduced prior to commercialization. Additionally, not every seed variety could pass through the current screen structure. Solution: Working with a design for manufacture engineer we confirmed changing the current aluminum parts to injected molded plastic would allow for a significant weight reduction, material cost reduction, number of parts reduction and assembly time reduction. Our goal is to reduce the weight by 50% or more. A new design for the screening process is currently underway. While working with the University of Nebraska Agronomy Department it was determined that a variant of the current model could easily be constructed from the same parts allowing researcher use in greenhouses, headrows, and test plots. After this Phase II research we will design the GrainGoat U model for university and seed researchers. Goals: Phase II financing will cover the screen changes, new CAD drawings and part design changes including the necessary plastic molds for injection molded parts. After field trials on the new design, the GrainGoat will be ready to go into full production. Investors have committed financial support for Phase III.

Anticipated Results:
Changes in design and manufacturing will produce a lighter weight machine with lower cost of production, faster assembly and rapid production of custom screens. Additional crop types will be compatible with the machine (i.e. soybeans, field peas, beans, rice etc.). The device (after successful Phase II research) will allow farmers to quickly sample any field, any time, to monitor moisture. University seed breeders will harvest test plots without cross contamination of varieties. Small grain farmers (369,000) in the U.S. will benefit from our device, as will small-scale foreign farmers using hand-harvesting methods. A worldwide market will be created. Manufacturing in the U.S. will generate jobs in rural areas.