Greg Nye introduces himself and Mountain View Dairy, where he manages three facilities and associated farm ground. He outlines the design and construction timeline of their fully enclosed feed center and shares the three primary benefits behind the project: reduced shrinkage, improved ration consistency, and enhanced employee safety. (1:41)
Greg explains how external receiving and intentionally separated traffic flows eliminate cross-traffic between loaders and delivery trucks, which significantly improves safety and efficiency. The group discusses early design considerations, lessons learned from other operations, and how “R&D” (rob and duplicate) helped shape the final layout of the facility. (2:32)
Scott and Walt introduce footage showing how feeds are received, stored, and staged. Greg walks through the grain elevator, unloading, conveyor systems, bay storage, and handling efficiencies that minimize ingredient touches. (5:03)
Greg explains how strategic ingredient placement and facility layout shorten cycle time for high-use ingredients while maintaining flexibility for premixes and specialty feeds. He then goes into inventory management strategies, including rotating bins, tracking shrinkage, and maintaining ingredient freshness. (6:32)
The conversation shifts to dust control and shrink reduction, highlighting the enclosed facility design and the use of an industrial baghouse system to recapture nutrients. Feed processing is simplified by reducing complex operations to just a few controls. Greg highlights the impact of reducing corn handling to a single touch and how it accelerated ROI. (8:28)
Finally, Greg discusses ration delivery innovations, including feed staging on conveyors and a custom delivery box that allows multiple loads to be staged and delivered efficiently. He shares how learning from other operations and refining those ideas to fit their scale and how it played a critical role in designing a system that maximizes efficiency without sacrificing flexibility. (15:08)
As we look ahead, join us for the next Real Producers Exchange on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, featuring Skylar Gerke, an Arizona dairyman with Midwestern roots. Skylar brings a unique perspective on what it’s like to transition from Midwest dairying to operating in the West. Registration is now open at balchem.com/real-science or agproud.com/real-producer. And as always, thank you to Walt for riding shotgun once again, and to our loyal listeners—thanks for being part of the journey. (20:39)
