Webinar Covers Spring Management Issues of Stored 2009 Grain

In a presentation to the Southeast Iowa Research Farm meeting March 4, current grain storage and management issues were discussed. I made recommendations for managing the 2009 grain at this time of year, when Iowa grain managers move from winter maintenance to spring holding

A Probe Sampling Method for Country Elevators

A method for using mechanical probes to sample trucks and wagons was developed. The plan involves the collection of multiple samples, with none taken from the center or corners of loads. In tests at a country elevator, the plan yielded accurate corn and soybean samples relative to the pelican method and reduced variability by 15 to 25% in Official Grade factors

Grain Management Issues Update

We are now well into harvest, corn before beans in many cases. This is yet another unusual situation. A lot of corn has been harvested with high outside temperatures, in the 80s and 90s, and was dried in the same conditions. This means corn in bins at much higher temperatures than normal. Early harvest corn will require at least two additional cooling cycles to reach the desired eventual temperature of 40F or below. The weather forecasts indicate that we will have chances to cool corn in the next week

Certification and Source Verification in the Grain Handling Industry

Source verification (lot identity) is the ability to trace products from their initial components through a production and distribution system to an end user. Source verification is a documentation process that may also require product testing, special logistics, or other actions. Formal certification and audit is generally required. Grain markets have traditionally handled interchangeable average quality commodities. Biotechnology, safety/security concerns, and new consumer perceptions are converging to create a grain market need for source verification and the associated quality management certification systems. Iowa State has assisted a large grain firm with the application of quality management systems, product tracing, and implementation of related statistical process controls. The grain firm has already achieved certification by an industry quality system and is moving to ISO 9000 (2000). A major goal is the ability to track product completely for individual production unit to user—a challenge for the grain firm handling bulk commodities. However, the act of creating the quality management system generated significant operating cost efficiencies applicable to its general commodity business. This presentation uses the case study of the grain elevator to illustrate the needs, actions, and challenges of introducing source verification and certification to the grain market. Data from other elevator studies is used to illustrate program costs. Source verification and certification will change the mindset of agricultural businesses. In addition to providing security for very specialized products with restricted markets, this effort will reduce operating costs because a rigorous study of work processes is required for implementation. The conversion of commodity markets to product markets will improve profitability and efficiency of market participants. The tolerance for purity in both specialty and commodity markets will determine the actual costs associated with the programs

Maintaining Stored Grain Topic of April 9 Webinar

A webinar scheduled for 11 a.m. April 9 will give farmers and grain elevator operators information on keeping their stored grain in good condition. Last fall’s wet conditions meant that many producers had to harvest corn and soybeans before it had a chance to dry to optimal levels. As a result the condition of grain stored in Iowa is at risk because of mold and insect problems

Aflatoxin and Grain Storage

In previous articles, we have discussed the aflatoxin issue from several angles – scouting, testing, use and handling. One key point is that once grain is dry and cold, or even just cold, the Aspergillus flavus fungus is rarely able to grow and produce more toxin. However, at least two problematic situations are arising –bin dryers operated at medium temperatures (below 120F) and high variability of moisture within fields

Aflatoxin: Handling Corn

Corn with known levels of aflatoxin must be directed toward the appropriate feed use, with documentation to the seller of its condition. Normally, aflatoxin corn cannot be blended for the purpose of diluting the aflatoxin concentration. However, in high incidence years, FDA has generally granted a waiver to allow blending for use in livestock feed, using prescribed blending and testing procedures, and with documentation to accompany the blended grain. Iowa has asked for this waiver in 2012; FDA response is forthcoming. Under no circumstances should corn known to contain more than 20 ppb aflatoxin be offered for sale to the general market where the final use is not known at the time of sale. All U.S. export corn is tested for aflatoxin at the port, before it can be loaded on a vessel. By contract, most U.S. export DDGS and gluten feed/meal is also tested. Corn co-products are particularly sensitive because the aflatoxin is concentrated 3 to 1 from the levels of the source corn. In all cases, the very high potential error generated by any aflatoxin analysis should be considered

Pay Attention to Condition of Stored Corn

Quality of stored grain must be maintained through the entire summer period, until stocks can be rotated in the fall. Summer storage is challenging because warm temperatures and high relative humidities put even dry grain at risk for mold and insect activity. Relative humidities in the last two weeks have been very high. The chart below explains why summer aeration can create either continued mold growth or excessive moisture shrink (below 14% moisture corn; 12% moisture soybeans). The horizontal lines are the market standard moistures for corn and soybeans (15% and 13% respectively)

Time to Participate in 2008 Grain Quality Analysis Program

Participants in public corn and soybean yield trials and in other public research efforts or collaborations can have grain quality analysis done at the Iowa State University Grain Quality Lab, through the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative (IGQI). The corn quality factors included in the analysis are moisture, test weight protein, oil, starch, density, and a ranking of estimated ethanol yield. Soybean quality factors analyzed are moisture, protein, oil, and fiber (plus linolenic acid and saturated fats for modified fatty acid soybeans). This is an excellent way to compare end use quality for genetic trials and other field studies

Aflatoxin: Testing Corn

Early harvest reports are confirming that there is some incidence of aflatoxin in 2012 corn. The highest potential is in the areas of extreme drought and in cases where August storms put corn on the ground