Grain taken straight from the field is the most difficult to store long-term, even at 15% or below. Because the kernel is a live seed, insects, mold and fungus are alive. Proper drying improves storage life by reducing these threats to storage life. Market grain that was stored straight from the field first, if at all possible.

As grain enters the bin, run aeration fans to equalize kernel grain moisture. This typically takes five to 10 days, but this year where maturity is highly variable, run fans for 10-15 days. This puts the grain in the best shape to store safely.

Watch the ambient temperature and use aeration fans to get the grain temperature below 50^oF as soon as possible. Nearly all insect and mold activity ceases below this temperature.

It’s okay to leave corn cold as long as it will be marketed no later than May. For grain held past May, maintain its temperature within 10^oF to 15^oF of the outside air to avoid grain deterioration caused by condensation.

Soon after harvest, pull the bins with peaked grain down so the center is just below the corn at the wall. The grain will look somewhat like the letter M from the side, promoting air movement in the center. Leveling at this point is also a good practice.

On farms with multiple bins, don’t completely empty one bin at a time when it comes time to sell the grain. Instead, when possible, rotate the bin from which the grain is removed. This not only promotes air movement, but also reduces the risk of the discharge being blocked by out-of-condition fines.

Check the grain weekly. Climb to the top of the bin, without entering, and observe whether there is a crust or any noticeable smell. An increase in surface moisture usually is the first sign of problems.

The only real fix for out-of-condition issues not stopped by aeration is to unload the bin down to where the affected grain can be removed. This likely means the grain will have to be marketed early and poor grain quality may receive a dock at the elevator.