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One brother is in the combine while the other is driving a semi to their local grain buyer. While the brothers are doing different jobs; they’re both able to see the moisture of the grain, the protein, how much they’ve delivered against their contract, what the prices are at–– instantly, no matter where they are. This instance is not a distant dream, it is actually happening at grain facilities with The Arthur Companies, headquartered in Arthur, North Dakota. These brothers are able to have automated, real-time data through their Bushel-powered grain facility app.
Bushel is the grain industry’s first software platform that allows grain facilities, cooperatives and ethanol facilities to digitally connect with their growers to deliver real-time information that informs better business decisions. Headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, the Bushel team pays homage to its home state by finding solutions to assist the strong ag community that attests for the financial success of the state. Bushel’s team is deep rooted in North Dakota agriculture. Many team members have farm backgrounds and wanted to find a way to give back to the farms. By having these strong connections within the agriculture community, the Bushel team has pinpointed what it is in a technology solution farmers actually want.
“If your business is not able to be on my phone with fast, reliable data, you are wasting my time.”
That is a quote from a farmer who is involved in making strategic decisions about technology at his local grain facility. They spent two days covering an agenda that was heavily focused on technology investments that their organization was looking to make in the next two years. The Bushel platform was on their shortlist of technology options because of the fast, reliable data that could be easily accessed on farmers’ phones.
There are over 400 grain facility locations currently launched under the Bushel platform, serving thousands of happy farmers throughout the United States and Canada.
One of these happy farmers, Ryan Evans, hauls to Scranton Equity in Scranton, North Dakota. Evans has been using his Bushel-powered Scranton Equity app since its August 2017 release.
The mobile aspect of real-time scale tickets, contracts, cash bids, prepaids, eSignature and more is what really drove Evans to download the app. Before having access to the information he needed daily, Evans relied on his home desktop computer to log in to the Scranton Equity website, and then search through his statements in order to find critical information.
Not only was this a pain to be able to get timely information, it was sometimes logistically impossible to get to the computer during the work day and the login process itself required more effort than necessary. When asked about the login process for the Scranton Equity app, Evans answered that he didn’t even remember how he first logged in because “it was that simple.”
During different times of the year, farmers like Evans rely on different bits of information to make the best decisions suited for that time. Knowing how many inputs you’ve prepaid for from your grain facility is crucial during spring planting. “Prepaids are very useful this time of year and I end up using that feature more than once a day,” said Evans. The time of year can demonstrate different information needed. Evans appreciates the information at his fingertips that the Scranton app has provided him. “You can keep track of loads coming in and don’t have to call back and forth about a ticket while you’re driving,” Evans continued. “Calling the grain buyer you’re hauling to had been the standard previously in order to know how much grain you have brought in, or how much is left on a contract.” With the Bushel-powered custom branded app, farmers like Evans have this information with them at all times, in real-time.
However, access to this information hasn’t kept Evans from calling his local grain facility. Evans said that while he might be calling a bit less, he is having more meaningful conversations with his grain buyer. “It’s quicker to get to the important stuff,” said Evans. Is his Bushel-powered app helping him strengthen his business relationship with Scranton Equity? With no hesitation, Evans says, “For sure.” One of the primary objectives of developing the Bushel platform was to strengthen the relationship between grain facilities and farmers.
Brent Grassman, the Grain Manager for Mountain View Co-op gave insight into how Bushel is streamlining how he does business. “This morning I sent a push notification out to our customers saying that wheat was higher,” said Grassman. A farmer texted me back that he wanted to sell, so I texted him back that it was a deal. Then, I sent him the contract through Bushel and he signed it on his phone. No phone calls, no post office, no waiting. Everyone else is living in 2018 while we’re rocking hard in 2025! Great job, guys. We couldn’t be happier.”
Bushel is providing grain facilities the excitement Grassman expresses because of the wide range of offerings it rolls out for each customer. In short, here are the top 9 reasons what’s setting Bushel apart from anything else out there:
1. Value in branding: Grain facilities can have their brand in their growers’ pocket, in their truck, tractor, and on the go all the time
2. Constant Communication: Grain facilities can take advantage of messaging through a Bushel-powered app via push notifications. Grower or not, as long as you’ve downloaded your app you can receive push notifications. Easily reach your growers with updates, marketing, and more.
3. The Power of Real-time Information: Easily provide growers a way to see your cash bids. Grain facilities can also choose to hide their cash bids behind the login and provide specific cash bids to specific groups.
4. Time and Administrative Savings: Field less administrative calls and save on administrative time. Growers have their account information easily accessible from the palm of their hand. Current Bushel clients have told us that the quality of calls has increased and when growers are calling they’re looking to do business. Not just wondering how much grain they have at the grain facility, how much they have left on a contract, whether they’ve locked in their basis, etc.
5. Ease of Doing Business: Grain buyers are giving their customers another reason why they do business with them. Their Bushel-powered mobile app helps make it easier to conduct business with their growers and promotes customer retention because not losing money is just as important as making money.
6. See Results: We provide you with analytics on your Bushel-powered applications. You will know how many users are on your branded app, what screens are the most popular, and more.
7. Ever-evolving Technology Platform: Bushel is a SaaS (software as a service) platform. The Bushel team is constantly adding features based off of the feedback of our customers and the feedback of growers. As we add enhancements and features grain facilities and their growers benefit.
8. Quick Commerce: Contract eSign is an add-on feature for you to take advantage of. Grain buyers can provide growers an easy way to sign contracts with a grain facility. Grain facilities save money on ink, toner, stationary, postage, and administrative time sending contracts out and working to get them returned and signed.
9. Market Leadership: This technology isn’t a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Grain facilities can start reaching the next generation of farmers today.
Look for more features to be rolled out as the Bushel platform grows and an even stronger connection between farmers and the grain facilities they do business with.