"Beyond the Belt" with Brooks Becker, Becker Farms
Becker Farms is a fourth-generation farm and ranch operation out of Streeter, North Dakota, managed by Brooks Becker, his brother, Brandon, and their father, who has been farming for over forty years. About five years ago, Brooks returned from college to the Becker homestead, where he was raised, to work for the family business full-time. Three WCCO Belting team members drove down the Becker Farms’ gravel road a sunny morning in early July to meet with Brooks, learn about their business, and discuss how belts impact its success.
Along with raising cattle, Becker Farms grows corn, wheat, durum, soybeans, flaxseed, hay crops, alfalfa, and organic flaxseed. The Beckers use rubber belting in almost every process to help boost productivity while managing their large variety of crops. As cattle ranchers, Brooks spoke to us about how they rely on their output to feed their cattle, so functioning baler belts on their baler are crucial to their operation’s bottom-line. “Bale too soon, the bales rot. Bale too late, the hay is brittle and you lose yield. The short window is why we always need quality belts guaranteed to work, especially since it’s how we feed our cattle.”
Becker Farms also uses a tube conveyor fitted with a WCCO chevron pattern belt to streamline their harvesting process. When comparing its performance to an auger, Brooks said, “An auger can convey a lot of grain, but a belted conveyor beats it. Take a sample of grain and you’ll also see the difference in quality. And the belt works so well, we haven’t had to replace it.”
It was a great morning learning about the history of Becker Farms, their dedication to agriculture, and their satisfaction with WCCO’s rubber products.
Brooks, we wish you luck this season and the many to come. Thanks for having us out for a visit.