Farmer Owen Gohlke was able to increase the moisture level of his stored soybeans by four percentage points last year through rehydration, resulting in a $7,000 increase in revenue.
ASSUMPTION, Ill. (Nov. 6, 2025) — Every year, farmers lose bushels and profits because their soybeans are harvested with moisture levels below the market standard of 13%.
The latest grain bin technologies can help prevent leaving money on the table because the soybeans are too dry.
Alan Lockwood, GSI grain conditioning product manager, said when farmers harvest soybeans, the moisture content can be lower than ideal, sometimes as low as 9%. “Dry soybeans weigh less, and since they’re sold by weight, that’s a straight hit to their paycheck,” he said.
For example, if a farmer harvests 50,000 bushels at 9% moisture instead of 13%, that’s roughly a 4% weight difference, which translates to approximately 2,000 bushels lost. At $10 per bushel, that’s more than $20,000 in missed revenue.
However, Lockwood said GSI’s GrainVue system can help recover some of those lost dollars by rehydrating beans in the bin.
GrainVue automates grain conditioning and provides remote access to bin status, including using humidity to restore soybeans to market-standard moisture levels safely. “The system constantly monitors the outside air’s equilibrium moisture content and only runs the fans when the conditions are ideal for moisture gain,” he explained.
“There’s no guesswork, no over-hydrating and no wasted electricity. Farmers choose their target moisture, and the system works around the clock, quietly and efficiently, to help them achieve it,” Lockwood added.
Minnesota farmer experiences rehydration benefits
Owen Gohlke, owner of GoldKey Farms in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, began using GrainVue for soybean rehydration in 2024. He stored his soybeans at 8.8% moisture, and they averaged 12.8% when he delivered them to the grain elevator.
“I picked up an extra four points, which was equivalent to 700 bushels,” he said. “That meant $7,000 more revenue based on last year’s soybean prices. I’m really pleased with it.”
He said he’s an early adopter of new farming technologies. “The issue with soybeans is always getting them to the right moisture. You never get a perfect 13% out of the field or the bin, so I wanted to try GrainVue.”
Gohlke noted that the system’s 24/7 remote access is also a significant benefit. “I really like the ability to see bin statistics and manage the rehydration process, be it from a smartphone, laptop or desktop,” he said.
Gohlke’s dealer, Central United Cooperative, worked with him on setting up GrainVue. “We’re seeing growing interest from our customers in soybean rehydration,” said Steve Heldt, construction supervisor and product sales manager for the co-op. “It’s catching on because any time a grower can put a little more money in their pocket, it’s very intriguing. Adding moisture basically makes money, because water is weight.”
GrainVue can be installed in new grain bins or retrofitted to existing ones. For more information, farmers can contact their GSI dealer or visit grainsystems.com.
