More heated canola than usual

There’s an old saying in the canola business: “Sell it or smell it.” According to some crushers, they’ve been “smelling” more canola than usual this year. Higher green counts can encourage more rapid spoilage, which may be a factor in higher rates of heating. But even No.1 canola can start to heat as temperatures warm up, or cycle warm-cold, over the next few months. Please check your bins and bags.

As our canola industry grows, on-farm storage will become ever more important. Growers have to prepare to keep canola for 12 months, so “selling” it early won’t be an option for everyone. Protecting that valuable crop means checking bins often and turning them over before winter and again in the spring. Canola crush plants will often cycle stored canola every week, even if it’s dry and cool, just to make sure it doesn’t spoil. Growers may not need to cycle bins every week, but crushers provide a valuable hint. Crushers can’t afford to lose a bin. Can you?

Published on February 7, 2011