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Alpha Today
By the People, for the People
Calmer Corn Heads Founder Shares 5 Common Combine Problems and Solutions
Marion Calmer, a fourth-generation farmer, has spent decades fighting to get combines to perform better.
Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:44am
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Calmer's decades of experience have enabled him to develop practical solutions to the common problems that plague even the most advanced combine harvesters.Alpha TodayMarion Calmer, the founder and CEO of Calmer Corn Heads, has been a farmer for over 55 years and has dedicated his career to solving common problems with combines and headers. Calmer, who also runs the Calmer's Agronomic Research Center, says that regardless of the brand, all combines have issues that need to be addressed. He has found solutions to problems like chaff buildup, grain loss, and more through his extensive experience and research.
Why it matters
As farms continue to rely on expensive, high-tech combines to harvest crops efficiently, finding practical solutions to common problems can save farmers time, money, and frustration. Calmer's insights provide a valuable perspective from an experienced farmer and innovator who has dedicated his life to improving combine performance.
The details
Calmer, a fourth-generation farmer from Alpha, Illinois, founded Calmer Corn Heads and started the Calmer's Agronomic Research Center, where his team runs a test fleet of different combine models to find solutions to common problems. He says there are very few issues they can't solve, though the process can be frustrating at times. Some of the solutions Calmer has developed include adding inserts to the combine in positions 2 and 3 to keep chaff out of the sample while still allowing grain to drop through, as well as making adjustments to the size of openings to better suit the crop being harvested.
- Calmer has been a farmer for over 55 years.
- Calmer's Agronomic Research Center has been running long-term studies since the 1980s.
The players
Marion Calmer
A fourth-generation farmer from Alpha, Illinois, and the founder and CEO of Calmer Corn Heads. He has also founded the Calmer's Agronomic Research Center, which has run long-term studies on profitability-related agronomy questions since the 1980s.
Calmer's Agronomic Research Center
A research center founded by Marion Calmer that runs a test fleet of different makes and models of combines to find solutions to common problems.
What they’re saying
“Regardless of the color of combine that you have, they all have problems.”
— Marion Calmer, Founder and CEO, Calmer Corn Heads
“I have fought combines for 55 years, trying to get them to do what I want them to do.”
— Marion Calmer, Founder and CEO, Calmer Corn Heads
The takeaway
Calmer's decades of experience and research have enabled him to develop practical solutions to common combine problems that can save farmers time, money, and frustration. His insights highlight the importance of continuously improving and adapting high-tech farm equipment to meet the specific needs of different crops and farming operations.
