What the GFAI Survey Reveals

 What the GFAI Survey Reveals—and What 50 Years in the Grain Industry Confirms

The latest GFAI October eSurvey on aging infrastructure offers a telling snapshot of how investment decisions are being made across our industry. The top five drivers:

•  Cost of upgrades (~80%)

•  Safety or compliance concerns (~60%)

•  Capacity limitations (~50%)

•  Long-term strategic planning (~40%)

•  Location or logistics (~20%)

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These results mirror what I’ve seen over five decades in the grain industry, especially during my tenure on ADM’s Grain Division due diligence teams, helping guide the acquisitions that built ADM into one of the largest grain companies in the world.

Here’s what I learned: the companies that survive and grow don’t just react—they plan.They invest in infrastructure that scales, adapts, and aligns with long-term market shifts. They don’t just chase throughput; they build systems that endure.

In my current work modeling ROI across nine port projects in Central America, I’ve seen how strategic foresight isn’t optional, it’s the foundation. It’s what makes cost, safety, and capacity investments sustainable and defensible.

Let’s break it down:

• Cost of upgrades is the top concern. But when paired with throughput-weighted ROI modeling—factoring in increased revenues and reduced unit operating costs—it becomes a compelling case for investment.

• Safety and compliance are rising priorities. SOPs and visual inspection protocols, coupled with capital improvements, are essential for fire prevention, bin entry safety, regulatory alignment, and ensuring every employee returns home safely.

• Capacity limitations are real. Receiving and loadout rates, drying throughput, and storage optimization are critical to seasonal performance and long-term sustainability.

• Strategic planning, though ranked fourth, is the hidden lever. It enables the top three—especially when preparing for climate disruptions, labor transitions, or market shifts.

• Location and logistics may rank lowest, but when aligned with safety and capacity upgrades, they become strategic accelerators—unlocking access to high-growth markets, enabling faster response to seasonal demand shifts, and supporting competitive differentiation through more agile distribution.

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 Why does strategic planning rank lower?

Because it requires stepping back, modeling scenarios, and investing ahead of need. That’s a luxury, not all facilities feel they can afford. But in my experience, it’s the difference between surviving and thriving.

My test for survivability:

• Have a clear vision and plan—know where you are, where you want to be, and where you need to be to stay competitive

• Invest ahead of need—not just in response to the “crisis of the day”

• Integrate safety into operations—not just compliance checklists

• Model capacity against future demand—not just seasonal throughput

• Embed strategic planning into every acquisition, retrofit, and infrastructure decision

• Model with rigor—meaning your investment plans are clear, practical, and built on real numbers. They’re tested under different conditions (harvest peaks, weather delays, labor shortages), easy to explain to stakeholders, and built to earn trust. You double-check your sources, challenge bad data, and refine assumptions until the plan is solid. That’s how you build confidence—and that’s how you lead.

  
  

The GFAI survey confirms what seasoned operators already know: infrastructure decisions must balance cost, safety, and capacity—but the real differentiator is strategic foresight. The companies that thrive are those that plan for tomorrow while executing today. Whether you're managing a single elevator, multiple facilities, or a multi-country corridor, the principles remain the same: invest with vision, model with rigor, and execute with accountability.

🔧 Recommended Next Steps

• Operators: Revisit upgrade priorities through the lens of long-term competitiveness

• Stakeholders: Require ROI modeling that includes strategic alignment—not just cost recovery

• Industry leaders: Share your strategic planning frameworks—let’s raise the bar together

  
  

I’d love to hear how others are integrating long-term vision into retrofit decisions. What patterns are you seeing?

Best,

Jim Voigt

“Grain Guy Fifty”