Return to Canola Council Home
With the focus on seeding and spraying, don’t forget to check canola in storage. This is time well spent, especially if moisture is above 8% or green is elevated. With rising temperatures, stored canola can at a higher risk for spoilage.
Producers are storing increasingly more canola in bins during the summer months due in part to year-round delivery contracts, marketing challenges and increased bin capacity. Determining the best management practices to maintain proper temperature and moisture in the bins during the Prairies’ hottest months is required to minimize the risk of spoilage, which could greatly impact total farm revenue.
PAMI studies have shown that leaving the canola alone resulted in the most stable and favourable storage conditions throughout the summer months, provided the canola is dry (<10 per cent moisture content) and uniformly frozen (to <-5°C) going into the spring months. Read more about the PAMI studies.
Even so, growers should continually monitor temperature profiles to ensure canola remains in good condition throughout the storage period.
Looking to lower your grain conditioning costs and increase efficiencies? Who isn’t? Alberta Canola and its Alberta commodity org partners are looking for farmers to participate in a study on grain conditioning systems. As a volunteer, you will anonymously provide valuable information to help the province devise policies, programs, and advocacy strategies to reduce the cost burden associated with conditioning grain. You can expect a three-year commitment working with experts to install necessary measuring implements, perform data readings, and manually log throughout drying periods. You will get individualized recommendations to increase efficiency and reduce costs to your operation. If you use one or all of high heat air drying, natural air drying, and natural air drying with supplemental heat please consider volunteering. Call 403-219-6263 to volunteer. Read more.
Got tips? CCC agronomy specialist Angela Brackenreed would like to collect your personal experiences with storing damp grain over the winter and drying it this spring. Contact Angela at brackenreeda@canolacouncil.org or 204-720-6923.
