By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent

STANTON, Mich. — Warmer weather coupled with the quality of corn harvested and stored last fall means farmers should monitor their binned corn closely for mold and deterioration this spring.

High grain moisture content during corn harvest made the crop difficult to thresh and resulted in higher levels of broken kernels and fines in threshed grain going into bins. The additional debris reduced the flow of air through the grain and provided surface area for hot spots and mold to develop. The higher moisture content at harvest also made it more difficult to evenly dry the corn, leaving bins more vulnerable to pockets of condensation during storage.

Michigan State University (MSU) Isabella County Extension Director Paul Gross said last fall’s harvest conditions are carrying over to cause quality concerns this spring as farmers ship corn and consider whether they will keep corn to sell this summer.

“We’ve had people who dried their corn to the point that the sensors indicated, put it in their bins and they would go back a few days later to find that it had just dried the outside and there was still moisture in the kernel,” Gross said.

According to MSU Extension Field Crops Educator Fred Springborn, this uneven drying caused potential for pockets of higher than intended moisture grain in the bin.

“With good air flow through the bin, this would not be that big of a problem, but coupled with the large amount of fines, this grain may not have dried in the bin as expected,” he said.

The combination of increased levels of fines with wet corn “make it very difficult to aerate bins to even out any moisture differences,” Springborn said.

As temperatures continue to warm up, Gross said quality problems are arising on a “bin-by-bin basis. It depends on the quality of the grain when it went into the bin. Some are saying there have been reports of loads rejected in certain markets, but I talked to (another grower) who said their corn is in pretty good shape.”
Farmers who intend to hold corn in storage to sell next season also should consider extra monitoring efforts to minimize potential problems.

“Some growers like to carry corn over into the next season. If they can store it and keep it in good condition, they can get a premium price for it,” Gross said.

“We have been telling farmers that they really need to look at their stored grain as the weather warms up,” Gross said. “They need to core their bins – to take a little out each month to get the fines out to keep the air moving.”

“Air movement through the bins is critical,” Springborn said.
Even the most experienced operators should monitor bins with extra caution. It may be impractical in many large bins to try to probe them with a grain sampling probe simply because it is difficult to get far enough into the grain to pull a sample.

“Sampling from the top and bottom access doors doesn’t give farmers a sample of what is in the middle of the bin or around the walls,” Springborn said. “Farmers should also check the exhaust air coming out of the bin when they first turn on the aeration fans, and while they are running, to monitor for the smell of mold or sour grain.

“To help minimize your potential for loss, if you have any doubts about the quality of the corn you are storing, you might consider moving a significant portion of your stored corn to see what you have.

“If you find the corn is not flowing out of the bin as expected, or if you have areas of caking and crusting, or pockets of mold, you should empty those bins of corn first,” he said.

While loading out grain, farmers also should make safety a top priority.

MSU Extension offers several guidelines:

·If grain is crusted or will not flow, first attempt to break up the crusted grain from the outside of the bin using a pole or other apparatus. Be sure to be aware of overhead power lines.
·Never enter a bin when there is a possibility of crusted grain collapsing or shifting suddenly. Even burying you up to your knees can trap you and prevent you from escaping the bin.

·Never enter a bin while the unloading equipment is running or grain is flowing.

•If you must enter the bin, as a farm owner/operator you should:
·Wear a safety harness attached to a properly secured rope.
·Stay near the outer wall of the bin and keep walking if the grain should start to flow. Get to the bin ladder or safety rope as quickly as possible.

·Have another person, preferably two people, outside the bin who can help if you become entrapped. These people should be trained in rescue procedures and should know and follow safety procedures for entering the confined space.

·Grain fines and dust may cause difficulty in breathing. Anyone working in a grain bin, especially for the purpose of cleaning the bin, should wear an appropriate dust filter or filter respirator.

·Shut off the power to augers and fans. It is a good idea to lock out any unloading equipment before you enter a bin to prevent someone from unintentionally starting the equipment while you are in the bin.

·Children should not be allowed to play in or around grain bins.

Editor’s note: MSU Extension Field Crops Educator Fred Springborn, who is quoted in this story, is the husband of this article’s author, Shelly Strautz-Springborn.