Warm spells put stored canola at risk

Some growers have noticed temperatures creeping up in their canola bins the past few days. They have turned on aeration fans to cool the bins back down. With a generally warmer winter, canola may not have cooled down throughout the core as much as it would have with prolonged cold. When the central core does not freeze, it may not take many warm days to get canola core temperatures rising again. A stretch of warm weather in February and March could make stored canola unstable and lead to unexpected heating. This is exactly what happened to a few growers last winter when temperatures warmed up in February 2011.

Storage clinic. On the topic of storage, the Canola Council of Canada and Manitoba Canola Growers Association host an all-day storage clinic February 28 at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba. Space is limited. Click here for more information and to register.