By Farm Progress staff

There is an axiom among those who restore old tractors that the tractor will never look as good as the day it comes out of the shop finished and ready to roll. That’s why many are quick to snap pictures of restored tractors as soon as restoration is finished. That axiom could apply to grain, too. Once it leaves the combine, the quality could diminish unless you handle it, dry it and store it properly. Your job is to maintain that quality.

Having accurate grain moisture and test weight figures is the first step toward handling grain properly. Two new products editors found at farm shows are accurate, portable moisture testers. Commercial testers have updated technology, and manufacturers are moving quickly to get this same technology into hand-held or smaller testers that will likely go into the field, or be in your office at the grain center.

There is also a plethora of new products that help get the grain into the bin without causing damage to kernels. Several new products use various conveyor systems instead of augers, although companies still offer new models with augers as well. Some of these products are made for systems where you don’t have a dump and need to auger or convey grain directly into the bin. Others help move the grain from bin to bin once it is unloaded and is in the grain center.

Grain handling products are offered by a wide variety of companies. Be sure to check out the contact information offered with each item so that you can follow up and learn more about each individual product. This is not an all-inclusive list. In fact, editors found so many new products related to grain handling that you will soon see a second batch of these products.