AGI's new PTO-driven Batco LCX4 Swing Conveyor moves 9,000 bushels per hour and needs only a small tractor to do it — the headline number from this year's Farm Progress Show grain-handling launches, where capacity and convenience displaced raw horsepower as the selling point.

The mechanical swing design on the LCX4 is a first in the industry, according to AGI, and it eliminates the high-horsepower requirement that has traditionally governed conveyor purchases. For farmers running modest tractor fleets, that changes the upgrade calculation: more throughput without buying a bigger power unit.

AGI did not stop at conveying. The company also introduced a bucket elevator built around maintenance access, featuring multiple inspection doors and removable panels designed to cut downtime during what is usually a costly mid-season service job.

Where does air handling go next?

Several manufacturers used the show to launch larger-diameter air systems that move more grain without traditional grain legs. Vari-Air introduced a 100-hp system rated at 3,200 bushels per hour, alongside an 8-inch grain vac that handles 4,500 bushels per hour.

Walinga now offers 7- to 10-inch air systems fitted with bigger blowers and air locks to handle increased volumes. The wider diameter range gives operators room to scale up handling capacity on existing sites — a meaningful option where a permanent leg installation is impractical or too expensive.

What is happening in automation?

Control systems are converging. Shivvers' Apex Command Center combines dryer control with storage bin monitoring in a single system, managing temperature, moisture and fan operation together rather than through separate interfaces.

For drying-heavy operations, integrated control closes a long-standing gap. One platform now tracks the full chain from dryer to bin, which should reduce the manual cross-checking between dryer controls and bin sensors that still consumes hours during peak harvest.

KSI took a different route to convenience. The company updated its bin fill conveyor with a 180-degree swing-away option operated by remote control, and introduced a seed treater using helical mixing technology.

What about safety?

The show also carried a safety-focused launch. Walinga's Bin Rescue Air-Vac is designed specifically for grain entrapment emergencies — a category of incident that remains a persistent hazard on farms storing grain in bulk.

Walinga also showed a hydraulic-powered skid vac offering portable cleanup capability using existing skid loaders, removing the need for dedicated cleanup equipment.

What should farmers watch next?

Taken together, the launches point to a clear industry direction: moving more grain faster while making equipment more practical for daily farm operations. Larger air systems reduce reliance on grain legs; PTO-driven swing conveyors cut the horsepower bill; integrated automation collapses separate control tasks into one screen.

Farmers planning handling upgrades for the 2027 season should track dealer availability of the Batco LCX4 and Vari-Air's larger air systems first, since both change the throughput-per-horsepower equation most directly. The next major buying window comes at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Nebraska, on September 14-16, 2027, followed by the next Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois, from August 31 to September 2, 2027.