Record breaking Canadian grain crop yields and last year’s transport delays have sparked a greater interest and concern for grain storage options. Grain storage is a huge investment for Canadian farmers, but in order to keep up with growing farms and increased market demand for Canadian grain, older storage systems need to be updated.

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development recently put together two fact sheets to help farmers make an informed decision regarding grain storage solutions. These sheets weigh out the pros and cons of each option by looking at cost comparisons including repairs and maintenance, different types of permanent and temporary storage systems as well as the size of each farm’s operation and requirements.

The two new fact sheets are Grain Storage: Cost Comparisons and Grain Storage Considerations.

The length of time a grain can be safely stored depends on the condition it was harvested and the type of storage facility. Low moisture content and low temperature in storage is essential for successful storage of grain and will prevent it from deteriorating, especially over longer periods of time. Other serious issues that can occur by faulty grain temperature or moisture content include a presence or increase of insects, mice, mold and fungi.

Depending on their operation, Canadian grain growers choose between permanent and temporary grain storage options. Permanent storage including affixed structures like corrugated or smooth walled steel bins, steel or fabric sheds, and farmer owned elevators. Temporary storage could include grain bagging systems, grain rings and tarps, bunkers or even open piles if the crop will be moved after a very short period of time.

Jennifer Stoby, a provincial market analyst for agriculture inputs commented on bins versus grain baggers in an article published in the Alberta Farm Express. She shared that operations need to store more than 70,000 bushels of grain per year to make the grain bagger option more competitive than steel bins. These findings can be reviewed in the Grain Storage: Cost Comparisons fact sheet.

Selling Grain in Western Canada

Canadian farmers looking to sell their grain crops can contact Barr-Ag. As wholesale buyers of Canadian farm crops we will buy locally produced oats, barley, wheat, flax, canola and pulse crops as well as Alfalfa and Timothy hays. Barr-Ag specializes in containerizing, loading and shipping Canadian grains to our extensive database of international purchasers.

Deciding on a brand new grain storage system could be made easier if you had a reliable buyer for your quality grain, oilseed and hay crops. Call Barr-Ag today to get a market price for your crop.

 

Sources:

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/crop1204

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sis15018

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sis15016

http://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/2014/09/25/the-bottom-line-on-grain-storage/?module=under-carousel&pgtype=homepage