Purdue News
Purdue News
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October 1, 1999 Temporary grain storage done right can turn a profitSources: Dirk Maier, (765) 494-1175, maier@ecn.purdue.edu WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Farmers can profit from temporary, on-farm corn and soybean storage this year – if they do it right and deliver grain to the buyer in good condition – says Purdue University agricultural engineer Dirk Maier. The controversy over genetically modified organisms, as well as current low grain prices, have created opportunities to make money from temporary storage, Maier said. If you can keep them separate during harvest and storage, soybeans that have not been genetically modified bring an extra 10 to 20 cents per bushel at some locations, he said. As for corn, some buyers want only grain that has not been genetically modified. Purdue agricultural economist Chris Hurt said current prices give farmers incentive to store corn until next year. "Farmers who sell corn now for delivery in January are looking at a return of 20 to 25 cents per bushel above the on-farm storage cost," he said. "For soybeans, the return is 15 to 20 cents per bushel." But to get those good returns, grain must come out of temporary storage in good shape. That means farmers must set up on-farm storage carefully and harvest when grain is dry. Grain must start out dry, Maier said, because temporary storage buildings, outdoor piles and converted silos don't have high, uniform air movement to dry the crop. Corn slated for temporary storage should be harvested at 14 percent moisture, soybeans at about 13 percent, Maier said. Once the crop is harvested, he said, farmers can store grain in outdoor piles, existing buildings and converted silage silos – as long as they follow four steps he calls S.L.A.M. • Sanitation. Before loading, clean aeration ducts, floors and auger trenches where insects thrive on grain dust and fine material. Clean out any nearby weeds, trash and moldy grain. Seal building or silo base openings, including fans. • Loading - the right way. Pre-clean grain to remove broken grain, dust and fines. Level the clean grain, or core the grain to remove the peak. • Aeration. Operate aeration fans intermittently during cold weather to keep grain temperatures as uniform as possible. Aim for temperatures below 40 degrees. Seal fans when they are turned off. • Monitoring. Every week, check grain temperature and moisture. Watch for signs of self-heating, mold and insects. Smell the exhaust air for odors that indicate spoilage. For a more detailed description of how best to set up temporary on-farm storage, contact the Purdue Cooperative Extension office in your county and ask for Extension Publication GQ-38, Temporary Grain Storage Considerations. Or access it on the Web. Maier emphasizes that no matter what forms of temporary storage farmers use, they should plan to move grain out in January or February. Grain kept longer in temporary structures is likely to suffer from spoilage or self-heating, as well as rodent, bird and insect problems. Writer: Rebecca Goetz, (765) 494-0461, rjg@aes.purdue.edu Other source: Chris Mann, (765) 795-6654 Related Web site: Purdue Post Harvest Grain Quality & Stored Product Protection Program,
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