Ag Valley Co-op continues to invest in improving its facilities to better serve its member-owners and meet the growing demands of the agriculture industry. The recent upgrades at their Edison, NE train-loading site are a prime example of the cooperative’s dedication to efficiency, safety, and customer satisfaction. The storage expansion and upgraded grain handling systems will allow for faster service and improved grain quality.
Upgrading Edison’s Grain Handling
The Edison site, a shuttle train-loading facility with a 3-million-bushel capacity, required a substantial overhaul to meet the needs of its members and adapt to modern grain handling practices. This included tearing down four aging steel tanks that had been in operation for more than 40 years. Blue River Sales & Service led this project. Once the old tanks were dismantled, Quad County Ag LLC erected four new state-of-the-art Chief Agri corrugated steel tanks. The updated setup not only enhanced storage capacity but also improved overall safety for employees working at the facility.
Two of the new Chief Agri tanks, 105 feet in diameter, provide 1.6 million bushels of storage. These tanks, standing 107 feet tall at the eave and 134 feet at the peak, are equipped with centrifugal fans and roof exhausters for optimal aeration. The two additional 74-foot-diameter tanks each store 415,000 bushels, bringing the total new storage capacity to over 2.1 million bushels. All four tanks are outfitted with Tri-States Grain Conditioning temperature monitoring systems, ensuring optimal grain conditioning and reducing the risk of spoilage.
Enhanced Efficiency with Chief Agri Equipment
To maximize efficiency, Blue River Sales & Service installed Chief Agri’s low-profile hopper systems, specially designed for the site’s high-water table. This system includes Chief Agri drag conveyors, capable of moving grain at a rate of 10,000 bushels per hour, feeding into a 20,000-bushel-per-hour Chief Agri drag conveyor. Grain is then transferred to a 25,000-bushel-per-hour Chief Agri bucket elevator, which is outfitted with Maxi-Lift Tiger Tuff elevator buckets for optimal performance and durability.
This high-capacity grain handling system dramatically speeds up the loading and unloading process, allowing Ag Valley Co-op to reclaim grain from all four tanks and facilitate fast and efficient train loadouts. The facility is now able to load 110-car unit trains at 50,000 bushels per hour, positioning Ag Valley to remain competitive in a challenging corn market.
Fostering Strong Relationships
Chief Agri’s role in this project highlights the company’s commitment to providing solutions that empower cooperatives like Ag Valley to serve their communities better. Jeff Schmidt, District Manager at Chief Agri, commented, “The Edison upgrades showcase what can be achieved when operational excellence is the goal. We’re proud of our partnership with Blue River Sales & Service and Ag Valley Co-op and are excited about future collaborations.”
General Manager Jeff Krejdl added, “We’ve partnered with Chief Agri for over a decade, and their equipment, reliability, and service have been crucial to our success. Their commitment to innovative solutions has helped us improve efficiency, increase capacity, and ensure safety for our employees and members. This collaboration, along with the quality work of Blue River Sales & Service on this project, strengthens our operations and positions us for continued growth and service to our community.”
Driving Forward
For Ag Valley Co-op, these upgrades are not just about increasing capacity—they are about reinforcing the cooperative’s commitment to its producers. “The new tanks and faster dumping speeds mean we can handle more grain in less time, which is critical during harvest,” added Krejdl. “These improvements also enhance safety for our employees, making this a win for everyone.”
As Ag Valley Co-op looks ahead, continued investments like these will help them remain a vital partner to the farming community, ready to meet challenges with innovation and expertise.
Check out this blog post detailing another successful collaboration between Chief Agri and Blue River Sales and Service for Ag Valley Co-op in Maywood, Nebraska.
For inquiries about Chief Agri products and services, visit the Chief Agri Contact Directory.
