A hopper full of bull

As any fan of the Coen brothers can tell you a hopper is somewhere to dispose of troublesome bodies -admittedly not the most efficient or tidiest method. So imagine my surprise when a friend of mine referred to a mutual colleague as having "lots of proposals in the hopper". Naturally I assumed they were dead. Well you would wouldn't you? Apparently not as the following instant message chat shows:

Suited sort: "He seems to have lots of proposals in the hopper."

Clueless journalist: "The hopper?"

SS: "It's a business term borrowed from agriculture - (according to answers.com) in agriculture, a hopper on a combine is a tank or bin where the harvested grain is temporarily stored until it is unloaded to a truck or grain cart. A hopper on an agricultural aircraft is a tank inside the fuselage used to hold superphosphate or other chemicals for airborne application over crops or pasture - It sort of filters things."

CJ: "So, it's relevance to business is what exactly?"

SS: "It reduces 10 leads to 5 really hot leads, then 5 hot leads to 2 client presentations and so on. Managing the sales hopper is the same as managing the pipeline."

CJ: "So it is another word for pipeline?"

SS: "Indeed."

CJ: "Do loons like you use the phrase regularly?"

SS: "It's universal."