The mild prairie winter has been good for people but not so good for grain.
A combination of warm temperatures and moisture is leading to insect infestation and mould. Grain piled on the ground last fall and left uncovered is at risk of contamination from deer droppings and rodent damage.
The Canadian Grain Commission said if producers aren’t vigilant in checking their bins and grain piles, they may be disappointed when it comes time to sell.
“We haven’t seen any problems as of yet coming through the system but the potential is there,” said Norm Woodbeck, the commission’s manager of quality assurance standards.
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Grant McLean, a crop specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, said some producers are complaining about insects. He heard before Christmas that one grain terminal turned away 10 trucks because the grain was infested.
Woodbeck said the presence of insects like rusty grain beetles causes other problems.
“Grain is a fabulous insulator,” he said. “(Insects will) start reproducing. Just through their own activity they will create more moisture and more heat.”
That leads to moulds and more insects.
Without a prolonged spell of -30 to -40 C to kill them, the bugs will live without problems or go dormant until it warms up again.
Concerns vary depending on where farmers are located.
McLean said those in west-central and southwestern Saskatchewan who piled dry grain on the ground have watched it get rained and snowed on. They are worried about having to dry it, and whether the cost of that, plus trucking, will leave them with anything.
“They should start moving (piles) soon or they will face significant losses,” McLean said.
Woodbeck said producers should move their grain to bins as long as it is dry. They may be able to turn on aeration fans to help do that, but that can also add moisture, he warned.
He urged producers to protect grain piles any way they can and watch for deterioration.
“Keep an eye on it,” he said. “Get a grain probe, talk to your elevator or (grain commission) service centre.
“Don’t leave that grain unchecked.”
