Home
>
Small Business
>
The Wrap on Ag Plastic

The Wrap on Ag Plastic

While driving through Pennsylvania farmland, you have probably noticed an increased amount of white plastic bundles stacked in lines or piles along farm buildings or edges of farm fields. Sometimes referred to as "marshmallows" or "long white tubes", etc. these objects are increasing in farmer popularity and represent a changing trend in harvesting of farm livestock feeds.

The feeds stored in these units are of a high moisture quality, and would quickly mold and spoil within 48 hours if exposed to oxygen in the air. The air-tight capability of these plastics enable feed storage of wet hay bales, chopped hay silage, chopped corn silage, or high moisture corn grain for as long as two years. Silos have been doing the bulk of wet feed storage for nearly a century on some farms, but the new plastic technology offers some very palatable advantages to the livestock farmer. On the average, feeds stored in plastic are of a higher quality than their silo counterparts, due to plastic's ability to eliminate 99% of the air leaking into the storage area. Silos are exposed to the full area of feed on top, and to cracks and door leaks in the areas between damaged staves on the sides of the silo unit. A few silo companies have reduced air input by producing glass lined, air sealed units such as Harvestore and Sealstore, but such units are quite expensive to purchase.

Today's feed grade plastics offer sun-blocking technology, which can normally break down standard plastic covers in a few months' time. Feed grade plastics can resist the sun's rays for 12, 18, or 24 months, depending on the quality purchased.

One of the most recent additions to the farm feed storage is that of round bale wrap. Similar to common "shrink wrap" used in packaging goods worldwide, bale wrap is applied with a specialized piece of equipment called a "round bale wrapper", and produces the marshmallows often seen in farm fields. In-line wrappers are now available as well, that can wrap one round bale after another into a continuous long line.

Round bale wrapping is an important breakthrough to farmers in the fact that baling is a lower power requirement than chopping as silage, and offers the quickest way to remove feed from a field and stay ahead of the rainy weather. Instead of waiting another day or two for hay to get dry, it can be baled wet, and then wrapped. The ability of feed to ferment quickly and properly inside of plastic wrap is superb, adding to the popularity of the system.

As with any new technologies, there are drawbacks as well. Feed is often stored a considerable distance from the buildings, typically due to the desire to limit clutter around the house and barn area, or because of the speed and convenience of wrapping feed next to the field it was harvested in. During Pennsylvania winters it is sometimes difficult to get to the feed, requiring the clearing of snow from farm access lanes just to reach the feed, and then daily hauling what is needed to feed the animals. Mud in thawing fields also provides an obstacle in spring-time.

Plastic disposal also can pose a problem. Plastic remnants do not rot down for years, and must be gathered carefully, or they will be left to blow in the wind to neighboring properties. Burning is not recommended, because of the toxic gases produced when the plastic is burned. The best present option is to the garbage truck and then landfill. However, as plastic usage increases it may become viable to recycle this plastic through a community collection system. Some Lancaster farms are now part of such a program, where the plastic is collected and baled into large, 1,000 pound square bales, and then trucked to a recycling plant in the southern United States that can recycle ag plastic into a number of other products.

Tom Clouser http://www.clouserfarm.net

Tom Clouser is a 38 year old farmer in Madisonburg, PA. This article is a reproduction of his editorial in the monthly news publication of "Trees 'n' Turf", published by him and his father Ken. View their archives at http://www.clouserfarm.net

green cleaning service Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Reclaim your time from big tech with effective screen time reduction strategies for iPhone and Android, featuring steps to limit app usage and create phone-free zones.

Amazon Prime Day shoppers face threats from 120,000-plus scam websites as cybercriminals prepare phishing traps and malware ahead of the July sales event.

Fox News' AI Newsletter brings you the latest on this rapidly evolving technology.

The AEON humanoid robot tackles labor challenges with Nvidia AI, Microsoft Azure cloud and advanced spatial awareness, working alongside industry leaders Schaeffler and Pilatus.

Google's Ask Photos feature brings AI-powered searches to your photo library, letting you find memories with natural language queries while maintaining privacy controls.

The return of blue book exams emerges as universities fight widespread AI academic dishonesty and educators debate whether to ban AI tools or teach responsible usage.

Signs your phone might be hacked include strange behavior, unauthorized texts, battery drain and pop-ups, while protection involves updating software and avoiding public Wi-Fi.

Tokyo startup H2L has launched Capsule Interface technology enabling full-body robot control with muscle sensors, offering immersive remote operation.

The A.I. industry seems set for growing pains as Big Tech companies scramble for solutions to the medium's unprecedented strain on the power grid.

Fourth of July fireworks cause a 60% spike in lost pets, but GPS trackers and AI photo-matching services like Love Lost can help reunite missing dogs with their families.

Protect yourself from jugging, the rising crime by which thieves monitor ATM users and follow them to steal cash, with six practical safety tips to stay alert and secure.

U.S. airlines like Delta, American and United are selling your domestic flight records to government agencies through the little-known Travel Intelligence Program.

Autonomous robots from Uber Eats are rolling out across U.S. cities, featuring LIDAR sensors, secure compartments and all-weather operation for food and grocery delivery.

Costco has expanded into EV infrastructure with new ultra-fast charging stations that can charge most electric vehicles to 80% in 20-60 minutes while shoppers browse the warehouse.

The new Gemini Robotics On-Device AI allows robots to perform complex tasks without internet, offering enhanced privacy, reliability and adaptability for real-world use.

Protect yourself from Amazon phishing scams by spotting red flags like suspicious sender addresses and spelling errors while using Amazon's Message Center to verify communications.

GAC Group's new Govy AirCab flying car combines lightweight design with advanced safety systems and smart cabin technology to revolutionize city travel with an 18.6-mile range.

The Berkeley Humanoid Light (BHL) is a lightweight, open source humanoid robot that anyone can build using 3D-printed parts and off-the-shelf components.

Meta’s new AI chatbot is getting personal, and it might be sharing more than you realize.

A new threat targets both Android and iPhone users: SparkKitty, a powerful mobile malware strain that scans private photos to steal cryptocurrency recovery phrases and other sensitive data.

Thanks to a team at the University of California, Davis, there's a new brain-computer interface (BCI) system that's opening up real-time, natural conversation for people who can't speak.

Privacy risks are hiding in plain sight, as your personal data is likely being collected, tracked, and sold without your knowledge.

VenHub, a fully autonomous, AI-powered smart store just opened at the LAX/Metro Transit Center in Los Angeles.

A woman's Facebook account takeover reveals dangerous social engineering tactics and provides lessons on recovery, avoiding scams and enacting stronger security measures.

Shanghai engineers are using 432 walking robots to relocate a complex, preserving Shikumen architecture while creating space for a modern underground hub and cultural center.

The Wrap on Ag Plastic

Small Business