Grain Handling and Storage Equipment Financing

iLease Capital finances grain handling and storage equipment for farms, elevators and agricultural businesses investing in storage, drying and grain-movement systems. From an on-farm bin and dryer project to portable augers, conveyors and grain carts, call iLease Capital at (866) 545-3273 to discuss the exact equipment, vendor and project.

iLease Capital finances eligible grain bins, dryers, augers, conveyors, grain vacs, bucket elevators, grain legs, grain carts and related equipment in transactions up to $5 million plus. iLease is an equipment finance broker with access to 50+ lenders. Installed grain systems require careful review because the equipment package, installation scope and site relationship can differ substantially from a portable grain cart or auger.

Grain Infrastructure Is a System, Not One Piece of Equipment

A grain facility can contain several separate equipment functions.

Storage holds harvested grain. Drying and conditioning manage moisture and grain quality. Conveying equipment moves grain between receiving, drying, storage and loadout points. Mobile equipment moves grain in the field or around the farm.

Those functions create different assets even when they operate together.

A flat-bottom storage bin has a different job from a wet holding bin. A tower dryer is different from a transport auger. A bucket elevator built into a handling system is different from a grain cart pulled behind a tractor.

That distinction matters when preparing a financing request. The equipment schedule should identify what is being purchased, what is being installed, what is portable and what labor or site work is included in the vendor proposal.

Do not assume every component of an installed grain project receives identical financing treatment. iLease should review the actual proposal and lender requirements before representing how installation or site-related costs will be handled.

Grain Bin and Silo Financing

Grain bins provide on-farm or commercial storage after harvest. Capacity can range from relatively small holding bins to systems capable of storing hundreds of thousands of bushels or more.

Current manufacturer offerings include flat-bottom bins, hopper-bottom holding bins, wet holding bins and related aeration, unloading and access equipment.

Capacity is only one part of the system. A bin project can include floors, fans, heaters, roof vents, temperature or moisture monitoring, unloading equipment, sweeps, stairs, ladders and safety equipment.

For financing, request a detailed vendor proposal. A quote that simply says "grain bin system" hides too much information. The equipment list should identify the bin, aeration, unloading, controls and other major components.

Flat-Bottom Bins Versus Hopper-Bottom Holding Bins

Flat-bottom bins are widely used for longer-term grain storage. Grain is typically removed through unloading equipment and sweeps.

Hopper-bottom bins use sloped bottoms that allow material to discharge by gravity. They are common for temporary wet-grain holding, seed storage, overhead loadout and other applications where rapid cleanout matters.

The two designs can occupy different roles within the same facility. A wet holding bin may feed a dryer while larger flat-bottom bins store finished grain.

Current grain-system manufacturers describe hopper-bottom holding bins for wet or dry holding, overhead unloading and storage applications. A buyer should therefore describe the intended use rather than treating all cylindrical grain structures as interchangeable.

Grain Dryer Financing

Harvested grain may need moisture removed before storage. Dryers create another major equipment category within a grain system.

Current commercial and on-farm products include mixed-flow, tower and low-profile dryer designs. Dryer selection depends on crop, incoming moisture, target moisture, throughput, fuel source, electrical service and how the dryer connects to wet holding and finished storage.

Controls also matter. Modern systems can use automated moisture sensing and dryer controls to manage discharge moisture and operating conditions.

When financing a dryer project, identify the dryer itself plus controls, fans, burners, conveyors, support structures and other equipment included in the proposal.

Installation can represent a meaningful portion of a project. It should be shown separately rather than hidden inside one equipment price.

Grain Auger Financing

Augers are among the most familiar grain-moving tools on a farm. A rotating flighting system moves grain through a tube from one point to another.

Portable augers can load bins, unload trucks or transfer grain around a facility. Other auger systems are integrated into storage or feed systems.

Length, tube diameter, drive type and capacity determine what an auger can handle. A small utility auger is a different asset from a high-capacity swing-away or transport auger designed to unload trucks quickly.

Used augers should be inspected for flighting wear, tube condition, bearings, driveline components, hydraulic systems and undercarriage. Worn flighting reduces capacity and can indicate substantial prior use.

For portable equipment, document the manufacturer, model, serial number when available, year and drive configuration.

Grain Conveyor Financing

Conveyors move grain with belts, paddles, drags or other conveying systems rather than conventional exposed auger flighting.

Current grain-handling product families include enclosed belt conveyors, horizontal drag conveyors, incline drag conveyors, tube conveyors and portable transport conveyors.

Conveyor choice depends on required capacity, distance, elevation, grain type and whether the equipment is portable or part of an installed system.

Belt and tube conveyors can be useful where gentler grain handling is important. Drag conveyors are common within larger handling systems.

For used portable conveyors, inspect belts or paddles, rollers, bearings, drive components, frame condition, hydraulics and tires.

Bucket Elevator and Grain Leg Financing

Bucket elevators, often called grain legs in agricultural use, move grain vertically.

Buckets attached to a belt or chain lift grain inside a vertical casing and discharge it at the top into a distributor or conveyor. That makes the leg a central component in many larger storage and drying systems.

Current grain-system manufacturers pair bucket elevators with distributors, support towers, catwalks and horizontal conveyors to route grain among bins and dryers.

Capacity, lift height, bucket and belt design, drive system and support structure all matter.

A grain leg should not be described as though it is simply a taller portable auger. It is normally part of a larger handling layout with structural and conveying components around it.

For financing review, provide the complete equipment proposal including the elevator, support structure, distributor, catwalks and associated conveyors when those components are part of the purchase.

Grain Vac Financing

Grain vacuums use airflow to move grain through hoses and piping.

They are useful for cleaning bins, moving grain where conventional unloading equipment is unavailable and recovering grain from difficult locations. Capacity varies with machine size, hose length and operating conditions.

Unlike a fixed leg or bin conveyor, a grain vac is mobile equipment. Buyers should document the power source, hose package and included accessories.

On used machines, inspect blower components, airlocks, hoses, driveline or PTO components and high-wear grain-contact areas.

Grain vacs can also serve as backup equipment for an operation that cannot afford extended downtime during loadout.

Grain Cart Financing

Grain carts solve a different problem from storage and fixed handling systems.

A grain cart travels in the field to receive grain from a combine and unload it into trucks or other transport equipment. The cart helps keep the combine harvesting instead of repeatedly leaving the crop to unload.

Capacity, auger size, unloading rate, tire or track configuration, scale system and drivetrain all affect value.

Modern high-capacity carts can be substantial assets. Tracks can reduce ground pressure and improve flotation but add undercarriage components that should be inspected on a used machine.

Scale systems and data technology can also be valuable. Confirm which displays, sensors and electronics are included in the sale.

Used grain carts should be checked for auger flighting wear, gearbox condition, driveline components, frame cracking, tires or tracks and hydraulic operation.

Mobile Equipment Versus Installed Grain Systems

One of the most important distinctions on this page is portability.

A grain cart, portable auger, transport conveyor or grain vac is generally identifiable mobile equipment. It can be moved, resold and documented as an individual machine.

A bin, tower dryer, bucket elevator or integrated conveying system may be assembled and installed at a specific site. The project can also include concrete, electrical work, erection labor and other site-related costs.

That does not justify a blanket statement that every installed grain asset is or is not financeable as equipment. Treatment can depend on the equipment, installation, ownership of the site, vendor contract and funding source.

Before representing how an installed project will be structured, provide iLease with the complete proposal. iLease can then evaluate the equipment and project across its lender network.

This distinction is why Grain Handling and Storage Equipment Financing deserves its own resource rather than being folded into a generic farm-equipment page.

Aeration, Fans and Grain Conditioning Equipment

Storage does not end when grain enters the bin.

Aeration systems move air through stored grain to help manage temperature and condition. Systems can include perforated floors, fans, heaters, vents and controls.

Monitoring can add temperature cables, moisture sensing and automated controls. These components can be significant when multiplied across several bins.

When upgrading an existing facility, identify whether the project adds equipment to existing bins or replaces the storage structure itself. A retrofit can have a different equipment schedule from a ground-up facility.

The quote should separate major equipment and installation components whenever possible.

Bin Unloading and Sweep Equipment

Stored grain eventually has to leave the bin.

Unload systems move grain from the bin into a conveyor, auger or truck-loading path. Sweeps recover grain remaining across the bin floor after gravity flow has stopped.

Manufacturers offer power sweeps and paddle sweeps for different bin sizes and capacity requirements.

Wear matters because these machines operate directly in grain and can sit unused between seasons. Inspect flighting, paddles, gearboxes, bearings and drive components on used equipment.

A storage project that includes unloading and sweep systems should list those assets rather than presenting the bin shell as the entire purchase.

Building a Complete Grain-System Equipment Schedule

A grain project can become difficult to evaluate when the proposal does not distinguish equipment from site work.

Ask the vendor or contractor for line-item detail.

The schedule may include storage bins or holding bins, a grain dryer, fans and aeration, moisture or temperature controls, unload systems and sweeps, a bucket elevator, a distributor, conveyors, augers, support towers and catwalks, electrical controls, erection or installation labor and concrete or other site work.

Not every project contains every component.

Clear documentation allows iLease and its funding partners to understand the equipment being acquired and identify any portion requiring additional review.

New Grain Equipment Versus Used Grain Equipment

Portable grain equipment has an active used market. Grain carts, augers, conveyors and grain vacs can often be purchased through dealers, auctions and private sellers.

Installed systems are different. A used dryer may be relocated but disassembly, transport and reinstallation need to be considered. Used bins can also involve substantial labor and engineering questions before reuse.

Do not value a dismantled system solely from the price of an equivalent new system. Removal cost, missing components, condition and installation requirements can change the economics.

For used portable machines, compare model, year, capacity, configuration and condition against current listings.

Current asking prices span a wide range. Small or older portable grain-handling equipment can be listed for only a few thousand dollars while late-model large grain carts and high-capacity handling equipment can reach well into five figures or higher. Complete storage and drying projects can be substantially larger.

Because installed projects vary so much by capacity, controls, supporting equipment and installation scope, the current vendor proposal is more useful than a generic market-wide price range.

Dealer, Manufacturer, Contractor and Auction Purchases

The seller type depends on the equipment.

Portable machines are commonly purchased from equipment dealers, agricultural auctions and private sellers.

Storage and drying systems are more often quoted through manufacturers, dealers, millwrights or contractors that provide equipment plus erection and integration.

For installed projects, obtain the full proposal before applying. The lender may need to understand which company supplies the equipment and which company performs installation.

Auction purchases can be considered for qualifying portable equipment but settlement deadlines can be short. Contact iLease before bidding when possible.

How Lenders Evaluate Grain Equipment Financing

Lenders can consider the borrower, equipment, seller and complete project.

For portable assets, age, condition, value and secondary-market profile can matter.

For installed systems, the funding source may need additional information about installation, site ownership and the separation between equipment and non-equipment project costs.

Borrower credit, time in business, cash flow, existing obligations and transaction size can also affect available structures.

Requirements differ across lenders. iLease Capital is a broker with access to 50+ lenders rather than a direct lender with one credit policy.

Financing Amounts and Monthly Payments

iLease Capital finances equipment transactions up to $5 million plus. Grain-equipment requests can range from one portable machine to a multi-component storage and drying project.

Monthly payment depends on the amount financed, term and lender pricing. Because a portable auger and a complete grain facility are fundamentally different transactions, payment should be calculated from the actual approved equipment package.

Call iLease Capital at (866) 545-3273 with the vendor proposal, equipment list and purchase amount to discuss the transaction.

Start your application at ileasecapital.com/apply, it takes about three minutes and there's no hard credit pull.

Frequently asked questions