Drying cost vs. harvest loss

Sam McNeill, Extension specialist, University of Kentucky, talked with CSD Editor Kurt Lawton at the 2013 Farm Progress Show about the harvest situation this fall, addressing harvest loss implications of field drydown versus harvesting earlier and using a grain dryer.

McNeill developed a spreadsheet to help corn and soybean farmers determine if it's more efficient to let the grain dry in the field or to use a dryer.

"The spreadsheet compares drying costs with harvest losses. The numbers can be adjusted for an individual farm," he says. "The end result will show how the costs change as corn drys in the field, saving energy with field drydown, but the field losses may be going up."