Tag Archives: agriculture

Debunking the myth of gravity separator waste.

You’re not alone when you question gravity separator waste. Is it discarding an excessive amount of quality product? Could it really be throwing away quality seed?

In the realm of seed processing, when a plant manager reviews the efficiency report of their processing line, one figure often stands out like a blazing red warning signal—the waste production. Unfortunately, because the gravity is often the last in a processing line, the loss gets attributed to the gravity separator. This revelation often prompts emergency meetings to rectify these perceived “losses” in the production process. One of the suggested solutions involves fine-tuning the equipment, and in more extreme cases, the team considers taking the drastic step of removing the gravity separator from the processing line. They cast gravity separation as the villain in this scenario.

It is undeniable that, sometimes, gravity separation equipment generates a significant amount of waste in the seed processing line. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the antagonist in this story. Incorporating a grain cleaner prior to gravity separation can significantly reduce this waste.

It’s essential to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the entire seed separation process to determine whether issues or defects are merely being shifted to the next piece of equipment. Sometimes, a minimal cut in the gravity separator can reduce waste in the grain cleaner, spirals, color sorter, or other downstream equipment. Gravity separation excels at removing defects that are better handled by other specialized machines. Each piece of equipment performs a specific task. For instance, the grain cleaner, seed cleaning machine, is more efficient at removing products based on shape, especially width, while a color sorter is adept at eliminating visual defects.

Another critical consideration is that companies often position gravity separation equipment near the end of the processing line or as one of the final stages of quality control. At a certain point, achieving the required quality standards becomes paramount, and the gravity separator is well-suited for this task. It is the most effective equipment for separating based on density, a property that closely correlates with physiological seed quality. Heavier kernels of the same size exhibit higher concentrations of reserve compounds, leading to enhanced germination, vigor, and protection against stress and breakage. This is well-documented and extensively researched.

Upon careful examination of your specific seed separation process and requirements, you might realize that the gravity separator shoulders a heavy responsibility. It not only rids your product of contaminants but also elevates seed quality, enhances the visual appeal of your product, and ensures adherence to rigorous quality standards. Ladies and gentlemen, we do, in fact, have a hero in the gravity separator!

South American Alliance

Oliver – Westrup Sign Distribution and Service Agreement for South America.

Anders Thorsted, Managing Director, Westrup A/S Brian Burney, President/CEO, Oliver

Today marks an important continuation of both Oliver and Westrup’s forward thinking growth strategies to serve global markets with the signing of a Distributor and Service Agreement.  The agreement grants Oliver the exclusive distribution of Westrup products in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru.  Oliver will be responsible for promotion, sales and service of products sold in the territory. 

South American Agriculture has been important to the economic prosperity of many countries, supplying domestic and export grains, pulses, row crops and forages, for food, fuel and fiber for many decades. 

As an important target to many of the worlds equipment suppliers Oliver began with manufacturing expansion starting as far back as 1958.  Although manufacturing under license was disrupted by distance, politics, and difference in business practice, Oliver continued to export its equipment for decades with primary growth coming from Brazil and Argentina. 

In 2013 Oliver contracted the services of native Brazilian Ian Ely to head up South American Business Development.  At the same time Oliver began to strive to offer superior partnered equipment through promotion of Westrup products.   

Westrup’s full equipment line and manufacturing operations in Slagelse, Denmark paired with Oliver’s equipment offerings and continued investment in providing pre and post sale client support, together, create an offering built to satisfy clients processing needs in the South American market. 

What Does Agriculture Mean to You? – A National Ag Day Introspective

How Agriculture Has Shaped Our Lives

 

March 20 marks National Ag Day, an American holiday created to celebrate the merits of agriculture and farming. This holiday means a lot to Team Oliver, and not just because we’re a business that services the agriculture sector. We are a business that was bred by the agriculture sector!

Many of us grew up among ranchers and farmers and have lived and breathed agriculture our entire lives. Our own Melanie Knapp, Controller, comes from Knapp Farms in Rocky Ford, Colorado. If you’ve ever visited Oliver in the summer, then you’re definitely familiar with Rocky Ford cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelons. Well, Knapp Farms is responsible for some of those melons, and, along with other local producers, they’ve given Rocky Ford the namesake of Melon Capital of the World.

Melanie says that agriculture was a part of growing up for her. “We never even thought of it as agriculture. We thought of it as a way of life,” she says. At Knapp Farms, the whole family chips in to the family business. Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, nieces and nephews — everybody had a job, whether that was manning the cash registers or unloading product fresh from the fields. “I think that’s what Ag is for a lot of us,” she says. “It’s a way of life!”

Executive Administrative Marketing Assistant Devon Ingo and her family breed cattle, and she was heavily involved in FFA (Future Farmers of America) and 4-H during her grade school years. In a way, National Ag Day brought her back to her youth.

“The 4-H and FFA programs are both youth programs that teach children responsibility, leadership and have a rural edge,” Devon says. “I was a member of the 4-H program for 10 years and the FFA program for all four years of high school. Through these programs I raised livestock (sheep and cattle to be specific).”

She made sure to point out that raising livestock was not a task to be taken lightly. “I raised my sheep all spring and summer, and it was my responsibility to feed and water them and clean up after them. Come mid summer, I would get another set of sheep and raise them ’till winter! Raising sheep taught me responsibility that I would have never learned anywhere else. Those animals depended on me to survive. As a 12-year-old, that’s a lot.”

Whether one grew up working on the family farm, participated in school and community ag-related events, or got a job at the local seed processing and conditioning manufacturer, one thing is clear: the agriculture lifestyle is one that rewards a hard work ethic and a strong sense of responsibility.

“The leadership skills I learned from both 4-H and FFA are priceless,” says Devon. “It taught me social skills, public speaking, being a leader to a large group, and taking full responsibility to projects and deadlines. All at such a young age! Not only did that help me in school, it helps me now in my career. Determination, dedication and knowing what it’s like to haul feed, stack hay, and make sure your animals eat before you puts a whole new perspective on life.”

What Does National Ag Day Mean to You?

National Ag Day is a celebration of all things agriculture — but it’s not just a party. It’s an educational experience, too! That’s why we’d love to hear how you became familiar with the world of agriculture, what you do for your particular industry, and what that industry has done for you.