RADCLIFFE, Iowa – With the 2023 harvest season just around the corner, grain experts are advising farmers to start planning their grain storage management strategies, particularly with the ultimate goal of preventing spoilage and farm-related accidents.

“The biggest concern on our farm is how long we’ll plan to store our corn,” said Denny Friest, Iowa Corn Growers Association president, and a Radcliffe farmer. “Warm weather and time work against us in this process and can, unfortunately, cause corn to heat and spoil.

“That’s why for short-term storage through the winter, we try and keep our corn at 15-17 percent on our farm,” he added.” As long as you can have fans to keep it cool, the corn rarely spoils. Long-term, if I am going to keep it for the spring or summer of the next year, I want it down below 14 percent.”

He said, “Another precaution we apply for long-term storage is we try to level off the peak and take the top of the bin out.

“This allows us to level out the bin and keep it at a consistent temperature,” he said. “On our farm, we also have moisture sensors in the bins that connect to a reader, which we check every two to four weeks. This allows us to know what’s really happening moisture-wise within the bin.

“Moisture readers can be a huge asset on a farm,” he added. “The other suggestion I have would be to check the top surface of the corn in the bin to make sure it is not crusting over. By regularly checking this, you can tell if there is a moisture build-up in the peak of the bin.”

Charles Hurburgh, Iowa State University professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, said, 15 percent is not necessary “until March or so; longer if the corn is kept cold. Aeration fans should be able to take out the last point or two after that; 1 percent moisture costs you 7-8 cents in weight lost, plus 3-5 cents in drying cost if you take it out with a propane dryer.”

He said he’s not in favor of over-drying corn for storage until into early summer.

“At a point, you will have to aerate this down to a lower moisture, but there is no need to do this before there is a real spoilage risk,” he said, “unless you have bins with no air, or where you don’t have a fan to be able to maintain the temperature. Wet corn does cut down on your storage life. The roof ventilation makes a big difference.”

He said grain elevators typically have temperature cables hung in the bin that indicate where there is a hot spot starting in one place: “The growing trend is to also equip the bins with a carbon dioxide sensor. It tells you before the grain spoils.”

He added test weight is a good variable to use if choosing which corn goes into which bins, and for how long: “Corn below 52 pounds per bushel test weight is generally an increased risk in storage.”

Randy Sheley, GSI Group, Inc., dryer product specialist in Taylorville, Ill., cautioned farmers on the importance of checking their grain dryers prior to the harvest season for any wear or tear that could affect safe and proper operation this fall.

“A complete preseason check, preferably by your servicing dealer, is extremely important to ensure dryers will be in good working condition to help protect the quality of stored grain,” he said.

He advised farmers to heed specific maintenance recommendations, while following dryer owner manual instructions.

“Lock out the electrical main safety disconnect before checking or servicing any electrical or mechanical device on the dryer,” he said. “Follow the dryer manual for safety guidelines, and do not attempt any electrical or gas repairs unless you are trained to do so.”

He said farmers need to make sure all supply augers, downspouts and columns of the dryer are completely free of any debris or birds’ nests. He added farmers should thoroughly clean the control box, if not done last fall, and make sure any floors or internal areas are also completely free of debris.

Regarding inspection, he said, “Check all belts for wear, hardness from age and proper tensioning, and replace any belts that are questionable.

“With all valves closed and lines empty for safety, check all gas hoses and connections to ensure all are in good shape and not leaking,” he said.” Inspect the burner to confirm there are no insect nests or other obstructions that would prevent proper operation.”

He said farmers should check the dryer for proper operation before filling with grain.

“Carefully turn on main power to dryer and make sure all emergency stop switches are closed,” he said. “Be sure all personnel are safely away from any moving parts or electrical connections. Bring up the control circuit to check safety and operational screens, then start the load, metering and unload systems, while testing automatic safety and shutdown systems.

“It is very important to do this before the dryer is loaded with grain to make sure the unload system is operational,” he added.

He added farmers should start fans and burners with the gas supply off to check for proper operation of the safety system.

“The dryer should shut down within a minute,” he said. “After carefully and slowly opening the gas supply, start the fans and then burners to make sure they properly light and operate with no unusual voids or color in the flame. On some dryer models, burners may not be operational until the dryer is filled with grain.”

He said farmers need to make sure the columns fill correctly and that dryer loading automatically shuts down after it is full.

“Do one final inspection after starting the fan, then the burner, to make sure the gas pressures are correct, and the temperature control system is operating properly,” he said. “Use the manual to start the regular operation of the dryer.”