Kentucky grain farmers produced over 216 million bushels of corn, soybean, and wheat, in 2010, most of which is stored on-farm between 1 to 6 months (KASS, 2011). They maintain a sound reputation of producing high quality products for feed, food, and fuel use throughout the southeastern US and around the world. Between 2005 and 2009, 20 million bushels of additional on-farm storage capacity was constructed…bringing the state’s total to 190 million bushels and combining with current off-farm storage capacity of 66.5 million bushels. Average commodity prices for the year place the total value of grain crops at just under $1.5 billion. A 1% loss in the value of these crops due to deterioration in storage and subsequent discounts by the elevator/grain buyer represents about $15 million in lost income statewide! Hence, prudent management of these products is essential to protect product value and quality during handling and storage. The University of Kentucky Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department's extension education program is dedicated to providing timely information that emphasizes safe handling practices, energy efficient drying methods, and proven storage management tools that help producers and elevator managers maintain high quality grain after harvest.
Kentucky grain production, average of monthly prices and production value for 2010.
KASS: Agri-News, Vol. 30, Issues 1 and 3.
Grain storage capacity for on-farm and off-farm bins, warehouses and flat storage structures in Kentucky from 1999 to 2010.
View the most recent calculators updates.
Cost Trade-offs for Drying Wheat and Planting DC Soybeans
Download spreadsheet here.
Preparing Bins and Equipment for this Year's Wheat Crop
Harvesting, Drying and Storing Wheat in Kentucky
Grain Bin Capacity Spreadsheet
S.L.A.M. - An Integrated Approach to Maintain Stored Grain Quality