Initial rollout begins at six ag retail sites, with additional sites added in 2027
ALGONA, Iowa — Sept. 2, 2026 — Stueve Innovation, LLC has initiated the initial rollout of FAST (Fully Autonomous Smart Terminal), its patent-pending autonomous fertilizer warehouse system, beginning with six ag retail locations. Stueve Innovation, LLC, is the autonomous technology affiliate of Stueve Construction, LLC, established to operate FAST on behalf of ag retail customers. The underlying technology remains the subject of a pending U.S. patent application.
The FAST system automates the operations that have traditionally required a dedicated loader operator on-site: it receives orders directly from a retailer’s ERP system, directs an autonomous loader to the correct storage bin, calculates precise scoop quantities, and coordinates with facility blending and conveyor systems to complete the load. LIDAR-based scanning measures bin inventory to within roughly 1% accuracy, feeding real-time volume data to an online portal and API so retailers can monitor stock without a physical walk-through.
Ag retailers consistently cite labor availability as the primary constraint on where and how they build and staff fertilizer facilities. By automating bin-to-scoop loading, the patent-pending FAST platform is designed to let retailers extend operating hours, redeploy experienced staff to higher-value work, and continue to operate reliably in regions where skilled labor is difficult to find or retain.
A working prototype of FAST, built around an autonomously operated pay loader, was previously shown at the MAGIE show in Bloomington, Illinois in August 2026. The initial rollout, operated by Stueve Innovation, will start with six ag retail locations, followed by additional sites throughout 2027.
Patent Notice: Stueve Innovation, LLC has filed a U.S. patent application covering material aspects of its integrated autonomous fertilizer handling and warehouse system, including its autonomous loader navigation, bucket and boom control, and bin-scanning inventory methods.
About Stueve Innovation, LLC
Stueve Innovation, LLC is the newly formed technology affiliate of Stueve Construction, LLC, established to operate FAST and other next-generation automation technology for agricultural retail facilities. Stueve Innovation is operating the initial rollout of the patent-pending FAST autonomous fertilizer warehouse platform, beginning with six ag retail locations.
About Stueve Construction, LLC
Stueve Construction, LLC engineers and builds fertilizer storage and handling facilities for agricultural retailers, co-ops, and agronomy operations nationwide. For more information, visit stueve.com.
Media Contact
Laremy Seelow
Vice President
Stueve Innovation, LLC
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