American researchers have developed a new test to measure moisture in stored grain. While a wide variety of other moisture testers are already on the market, this one is specially designed for its low cost and ease of manufacturing. Paul Armstrong, lead scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service, said the Post […] Read more
Tag Archives grain storage — page 3
GrainsConnect plans elevator for Sask.
GrainsConnect plans to build a $30 million grain elevator at Wilkie, Sask., 130 kilometres west of Saskatoon. The 35,000 tonne storage capacity elevator, which is similar to the one under construction at Maymont, Sask., will be able to load 130 cars in 10 hours. Canadian National Railway will serve it, a company news release said. […] Read more
VIDEO: G3 expansion driven by speed
Automated and integrated systems enable elevators to unload thousands of tonnes of grain with as few as 10 workers
GLENLEA, Man. — All of a sudden, new concrete and steel giants seem to spring up from the soil to suck in and spit out farmers’ crops. Announcements of new elevator projects have come quickly during the past few years, but it’s inside the massive structures that lightning-fast speed is most evident to the farmers […] Read more
The heat is on to get moisture out of the bin
Drying and storing tough grain will likely be commonplace on prairie farms this winter in the aftermath of snow and rain that swept across large swaths of the region in early October. Batch and continuous grain dryers are the most effective way to dry tough grain, especially when it’s cold out, but they are the […] Read more
Video: Storing tough grain less risky with Drylo
Demand has increased for temporary grain storage bags and equipment over the past few years because on-farm storage has been unable to accommodate big crops and added acres. There are many benefits to temporarily storing grain in bags in the field, not the least of which is the low per-bushel cost. However, there are also […] Read more
Post-CWB stats show fewer elevators, more storage
The number of licensed primary grain elevators in Western Canada has dropped since the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk marketing mandate ended four years ago, statistics from the Canadian Grain Commission show. However, during the same four-year period, storage capacity at primary elevators increased by more than one million tonnes, the statistics suggest. According to […] Read more
To dry or condition, that is the question
October is a busy month for Joy Agnew. As the grain storage expert with PAMI, an agricultural research and innovation institute based in Humboldt, Sask., Agnew receives dozens of phone calls and emails from farmers who have technical questions about grain drying and grain conditioning Agnew spoke to The Western Producer in mid-October about grain […] Read more
Fans multiply moisture and money
Increasing the moisture content by a few percentage points can pencil out to thousands of dollars in returns
A farmer who tries to improve the moisture content of a canola shipment by turning on the water hose won’t endear him to grain buyers. An observant buyer will notice that the seed coat is mushy and the effort will backfire. In some cases, canola growers have been blacklisted from elevators after being caught red […] Read more
Spoilage alert: start probing bins and bags
Moisture causes downgrades | Warming temperatures will cause moisture to accumulate, agronomists warn
Farmers should be extra vigilant monitoring their stored grain this year, say experts. A bumper harvest and disappointing winter shipping program is resulting in farmers carrying over far more grain than usual this spring. Some of the crops in temporary storage may need immediate attention. Digvir Jayas, former Canada Research Chair in stored grain ecosystems […] Read more
It’s time to develop storage strategies
High grain prices, high input costs and better than average yields add up to a lot of risk. As a result, it’s vital to devise a storage strategy ahead of time to avoid insect and moisture damage. The place to start is a thoroughly cleaned bin, whether it’s a flat bottomed grain bin on wood, […] Read more
