Bushel Plus Harvest Academy gives and indoor combine clinic (supplied photo/Bushel Plus Ltd)

By Alice McFarlane

Bushel Plus Harvest Academy

Harvest Academy helps fine tune combining settings

Apr 5, 2024 | 12:00 PM

Canada has its first harvest training program for farmers and agriculture professionals.

Bushel Plus Ltd., based in Brandon, Man., started the Harvest Academy as a combine education and training program to provide the knowledge and skills needed to optimize harvest processes.

Starting this spring, Bushel Plus Harvest Academy will offer uniquely tailored, in-person combine clinic sessions, workshops, and events on how to reduce harvest loss.

Bushel Plus founder and CEO Marcel Kringe said the ultimate goal is to increase yields, revenues, and efficiencies while using more sustainable practices.

“Many people are amazed to learn from us that the combine is not a set it and forget it piece of equipment during harvest, that there are a number of tips to consider and important metrics that can be set up, and even before harvest starts,” Kringe said.

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The combine is one of the most fascinating, important, and complex machines on the farm. Just driving a combine slower is not the key, according to Kringe.

“The season and even subtle straw conditions can influence performance, which in turn can affect yields,” he said. “We are launching the Harvest Academy because of the positive feedback we received over the years from people who enjoyed learning more details from us about different settings that can achieve optimal combine efficiency.”

After years of sharing his expertise with equipment dealers and farmers at combine and seed workshops and at clinics at farms, Kringe created a team of product specialists, agronomists, and agriculture engineers to create and deliver the Harvest Academy.

Sessions will include pre-harvest maintenance, equipment operation, technology integration, safety, cost-effective harvest practices and resource allocation, and much more.

Programs can be customized and modified to serve the needs of farmers and farm operators, seed producers, dealers, agronomists, and other ag professionals. This will include combines with automation, where proper calibration is critical.

“Harvest Academy will present new concepts, tackle common oversights, and focus on hands-on tips and the theory of optimal combine performance,” Kringe said. “For instance, not only will we explain how to get grain out of the concaves earlier in the threshing process, we’ll get into why this is so important.”

Bushel Plus already offers harvest training in Europe, as it recently took over the training services of German company AgrarTraining.

Plans are in the works for Harvest Academy to be offered in the U.S. and other countries, and a university and college scholarship program will support students looking to build a career in agriculture.

Bushel Plus is also working with post-secondary agriculture institutions to ensure harvest optimization knowledge is integrated into curricula.

North Dakota farmer Jerry Stromstad attended a combine clinic put on by Bushel Plus. He said it was very educational and informative.

“The set up was much appreciated, and the details learned helped so much in setting up my new combine. The tips and tricks for canola are unmatched and made a big difference at harvest,” Stromstad said.

Bushel Plus will be an exhibitor at Canada’s Farm Show in Regina, Sask. in June and at Ag in Motion near Langham, Sask. in July.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @farmnewsNOW

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