“We have a passion to grow and a passion for the grain industry,” says Steve Broadbent, left, with brother Michael. “And now we’ve got a good business relationship and a solid supply-chain partnership with CHS.” “I would hope the U.S. could supply the whole world with wheat, but I know that’s not a possibility.” — Todd Yackley, Onida, S.D. > on the soil’s ability to retain moisture.” The younger Butler made a decision to return to the farm and become part of the wheat evolution in Australia. “After a few years of working and traveling, last February I came back to the farm to work alongside my father because of the lifestyle and fl exibility farming off ers,” says Ash. “Dad always says, ‘If you enjoy what you do, it’s not considered work,’ and I don’t think I’ve worked a day since I returned — except for sweeping out silos.” Shane Noble, manager of the Queensland facility at Toowoomba, says the company recently increased volume and effi ciency by adding two inverters to fi ll containers faster. Inverters mechanically prop containers at an angle so they can be fi lled with grain quickly and effi ciently. “We do all DCT (delivered container terminal) work from this location and sell a lot to CHS for overseas shipment,” Noble says. In the past fi ve years, he says he’s seen huge growth in the container market with most being exported to China and Southeast Asia. In Taiwan and other countries, many customers can’t handle a big bulk shipment of grain, so containers off er a better fi t. Broadbent Grain is building a facility at Ballarat in Victoria that will be completed this year for export through the Port of Melbourne, the largest container port in Australia. The facility will include more storage and container packing abilities similar to those in Toowoomba. Container shipping continues to be a cost-eff ective way to ship grain, especially for grain operations in Australia, says Justin Cauley, merchandiser at CHS Grain Marketing. “When Southeast Asia ships computers, toys and clothes in containers to Australia, those containers get backfi lled with grain and returned to Southeast Asia,” he says. Wheat Leads the Way Since wheat is grown almost everywhere in the world — and yields well even in arid areas — there’s almost a nonstop fl ow of it into the global marketplace. “After wheat is harvested in the U.S., then the crop comes off in Australia, then South America and that continues around the world,” says Roger Baker, wheat merchandiser, CHS Grain Marketing. “At CHS, wheat is our core. It’s what we were built on and that’s The port at Melbourne is the largest container operation in Australia. 14 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CHSINC.COM