New seed technologies and special grain production opportunities are giving Midwest corn and soybean producers the chance to produce consistent, high-quality grains and oilseeds. These products often earn higher prices resulting in more income for growers. With those premiums come requirements that strict identity preservation (IP) practices be used when growing and harvesting these crops.

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative (IGQI) have developed the "Combine Clean-out Procedures for Identity-preserved Grain" video, a new tool to help farmers protect the identity of specialty crops during the harvesting process. A companion checklist, "Combine Clean-out Procedures for Identity-preserved Corn and Soybeans" has also been developed.

Produced by ISU Extension campus and field specialists, the video and checklist offer a general overview of the process growers should use to preserve the identity of the crops they harvest. The video demonstrates how to systematically clean combines from entry to exit points and from top to bottom to remove existing grain before harvesting an IP crop.

"We see this being the first in a series of videos for producers of identity-preserved grains," says Mark Hanna, ISU extension agricultural and biosystems engineer, a technical advisor and the narrator of the video. "Work is already underway to develop combine clean-out procedures for specific makes and models of the most popular combines in use."

"This builds on the planter clean-out video and field guides we released earlier this year," says Darren Jarboe, program coordinator, IGQI, and another technical advisor on the program. "The new video demonstrates practices that are becoming more important to producers as they pursue value-enhanced grain opportunities."

The VHS video can be ordered through the ISU Extension Web site: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/Order.html. The video identification number is EDC 255. Clicking on the "Order Publications" link on the far left side of the page will bring up specific ordering instructions. The cost is $12, plus shipping, for Iowa residents and $15, plus shipping, for all others.

The checklist is available for free at the IGQI Web site (http://www.iowagrain.org) until October 31. After that date it will only be available for order through the ISU Extension Web site listed above at a cost of $2, plus shipping. The identification number is PM 1920.

The "Planter Clean-out Procedures for Corn and Soybeans" VHS video also is available from ISU Extension. The planter clean-out video identification number is VID 41. The cost is $20, plus shipping, for Iowa residents and $25, plus shipping, for all others.

Field friendly planter guides outlining specific clean-out procedures for the planter types featured also are available. A list of the planter types and ordering numbers is provided below. To order one of the laminated guides, simply follow the procedures provided for ordering the video. The cost of each guide is $2, plus shipping.