Farming Simulator 25: Straw Harvest Pack – Straw Pellets, Machinery & Production

With the Straw Harvest Pack, released on 12 August 2025, GIANTS Software brings back one of the series’ most established and popular expansions in a modernised form. In earlier entries, Straw Harvest was synonymous with realistic straw and bale processing. Now, the concept returns to Farming Simulator 25 with refreshed detail and technical upgrades – introducing new machines, production chains, and an expanded economy that redefines the role of straw in agriculture.

From classic baling to industrial-scale pellet production, the Straw Harvest Pack provides a complete processing chain from harvest to sale. Players can now not only bale and store their straw, but also process, refine, and sell it for profit. This puts a by-product of many crops at the centre of the agricultural economy.

The pack blends technical precision with gameplay depth. It adds new brands, expands production logic, and opens up new ways to increase efficiency on any farm – whether in single-player or on large multiplayer servers.

Pellet production from straw in Farming Simulator 25

The heart of the Straw Harvest Pack is the fully integrated pellet production line. This facility enables you to produce high-quality biomass pellets from ordinary straw, which can then be sold or used for energy generation.

The production process starts with the harvest. After combining, straw swaths can either be collected with standard balers or processed directly into pellets using the new machines from the pack. Particularly impressive is the new pellet press from Krone, digitised in collaboration with GIANTS Software. It allows shredding, drying, and pressing to be carried out in a single pass.

This production chain is not only financially attractive, but also mechanically demanding. Players need to monitor moisture, storage temperature, and transport logistics. Those who work efficiently can, for the first time, establish straw as a primary source of income.

New straw machinery: Krone Premos 5000, balers and logistics

The Straw Harvest Pack introduces a range of machines tailored to straw processing and transport. Alongside the return of the popular Krone Comprima balers, several new models have been added, including modern bale wrappers, conveyors, and storage technology.

A highlight is the Krone Premos 5000 pellet press, which can be used in the field or as a stationary unit. It features original sound recordings and authentic animations. Operation takes place in several steps, making the work more realistic and demanding.

Also new are upgraded bale conveyors and stackers that make loading large quantities easier. The hydraulics control has been refined, and vehicle physics respond noticeably more precisely. Loading trailers or conveyor belts now feels more natural and less jerky.

For fans of traditional farming, the pack also includes nostalgic models from earlier decades, now harmonised with the modern physics engine of Farming Simulator 25. This blend of tradition and innovation lends the DLC particular depth.

Straw pellet market: prices, sales and logistics

A central aspect of the Straw Harvest Pack is the expanded economy. Straw pellets, bales, and other by-products now have their own market prices, which shift dynamically according to supply and demand.

Pellets can be sold to specialised industrial facilities or further processed in the new biomass plant. This produces energy and creates by-products such as fertiliser or residues, which in turn feed into other production chains. The result is a closed economic loop that requires strategic thinking.

The new transport logic also matters: due to the greater weight and volume of bales, logistics routes must be planned efficiently. Players delivering over long distances benefit from rail loading points or larger trailers, both of which the pack introduces. The combination of economic simulation and realistic logistics management makes this expansion especially compelling.

Automating production: conveyors and priorities

The new facilities in the Straw Harvest Pack are fully functional production systems. Building the pellet plant requires space, energy, and resources. Players must provide electricity, water, and occasionally additives to keep the facility running.

Once activated, production can be controlled via a clear menu. There you can set throughput, storage capacities, and priorities. Automation also plays a greater role: conveyors, feed systems, and warehouse robots operate independently once correctly connected.

This system adds a new layer that sits between classic farm management and industrial control. Experienced players who enjoy optimisation will particularly appreciate it.

Buildings and infrastructure for straw and pellets

The Straw Harvest Pack extends not only your machinery fleet, but also your farm’s construction options. New storage halls, conveyors, and drying systems are available, all purpose-built for straw and pellets.

The buildings are modular. Players can construct small facilities or develop full industrial complexes that integrate visually and functionally with their existing operations. Each hall features its own lighting, ventilation, and animated elements, creating a convincing industrial feel.

The architecture takes cues from modern agricultural enterprises in Germany and Northern Europe. This creates a realistic contrast to the wide-open spaces of the Plains and Prairies Pack, with which the Straw Harvest Pack combines excellently.

Sustainability: biomass and environmental bonuses in FS25

A key theme of the Straw Harvest Pack is sustainability. Using straw as a renewable energy source is central to the DLC. Pellet production allows surplus material to be put to good use instead of rotting unused in the fields.

This mechanic is rewarded in gameplay terms as well: producing and selling pellets improves your long-term environmental footprint, which positively influences subsidies and loan terms. Environmental protection thus becomes a measurable part of the economy.

GIANTS Software sets a marker for realistic, responsible agricultural simulation. The topic of energy generation from biomass is conveyed credibly and gives the game an added educational dimension.

Technology, performance and graphics in the Straw Harvest Pack

As with previous expansions, the technical quality here is impressive. Machines, buildings, and effects are modelled with great attention to detail. The pellet production animations are especially striking: dust, particles, and material flow are portrayed realistically without noticeably impacting performance.

The audio design is another highlight. The clatter of machinery, the rhythmic pressing, and the hiss of hydraulics create an immersive atmosphere. Textures for straw and pellets have also been revised – they appear denser, more structured, and more realistic than ever.

Even on mid-range systems, the game remains stable thanks to significantly improved optimisation by GIANTS Software. Players with powerful PCs can enable all details and lighting effects to experience the DLC at its fullest.

Multiplayer strategies: roles, servers & teamwork

The Straw Harvest Pack truly shines in multiplayer. While one group is harvesting in the field, another can prepare pellet production. The interplay between agriculture and industry becomes a genuine team effort.

Because the production chains are more complex, the pack is ideal for dedicated servers. You can distribute roles – drivers, technicians, production managers, or logistics coordinators. This clear division of labour fosters community spirit and greatly increases efficiency.

Synchronisation in multiplayer runs smoothly thanks to improvements from Patch 1.9, even with large facilities and many moving objects. This makes the Straw Harvest Pack an ideal addition for collaboratively managed farms.

Conclusion: Straw Harvest Pack – a recommendation for sustainable farming

The Straw Harvest Pack is more than just a machinery add-on – it is a new way of thinking about agriculture. GIANTS Software shows how a by-product can become a central economic factor. With realistic production processes, economic depth, and technical precision, the DLC elevates the simulation to a new level.

Players who enjoy complex workflows, optimisation, and industrial production will find countless opportunities here. Whether as a small farm with a compact press or a large-scale operation with a pellet plant – the pack adapts to every playstyle.

Combined with your own Farming Simulator server from 4Netplayers, the Straw Harvest Pack reaches its full potential. Stable performance, flexible mod management, and high server capacity make it possible to practise sustainable agriculture together – efficiently, realistically, and with a focus on the future.

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