Eligible farmers in Alberta can access funding for grain dryer upgrades from a $2 million fund through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The Efficient Grain Dryer Program will be retroactive to April 1, 2018, to accommodate almost 100 applicants who have been waiting since that time, along with those who may not have known about… Read More
By the time harvest ends this season, the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) estimate Manitoba producers will have paid almost $1.7 million in carbon tax related to the cost of drying the 2019 corn crop. “We are firm in our position that there needs to be an exemption for farmers under the carbon tax framework for… Read More
Even in a good year, a grain dryer can be worth having. In a challenging year, a grain dryer can be worth its weight in gold. “A dryer is basically an insurance policy. You know you’re going to have to dry some of your grain, you’re hoping that you don’t have to dry 100 per… Read More
Grain Farmers of Ontario want the federal government to be more proactive in bringing the CN Rail and teamsters union dispute to an end before it impacts agriculture. It would seem that’s already happening, however, as at least one farmer in the eastern region of Ontario has already reported that they’ve been told that propane… Read More
Many farmers in 2019 will be harvesting late-planted corn that struggled to mature as combines roll through fields this fall. Much of that corn will likely be heading directly to the elevator, but there will be marketing opportunities for growers who are willing to dry and store that grain. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn… Read More
You’ve worked hard and expanded the farm’s land base from about 1,200 acres to 2,400. Where’s your money better spent — a second combine or a grain dryer? Scott Keller, who farms at New Norway, Alta., says the economics are cut-and-dried on that topic. According to Keller —hands down — you’re better off setting up… Read More
A streamlined process for grain dryer inspection and approval should make it easier for farmers in Manitoba to get up and running this upcoming harvest season. As all grain dryers have to be inspected by the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC), the organization has established a central booking process co-ordinated with Manitoba Hydro to streamline… Read More
It’s the middle of October and there is a lot of harvest yet to do in the Prairie Provinces. Many farmers got off to an early start, progress was ahead of schedule, and then things ground to a halt. No one knows for sure, but back of the envelope estimates conservatively put the value of… Read More
Grain Systems, Inc (GSI) is rolling out two new extensions of its Quiet Dryer technology. GSI’s Quiet Dryer fan design was introduced in 2017 in an all-heat portable dryer. The company says it provides a 50 percent noise reduction compared to standard portable grain dryers equipped with vane axial fans without sacrificing drying capacity or efficiency…. Read More
Are you spending too much on energy to power your farm? Do you know the major energy users on your farm? If you don’t know the answers to those questions you have some work to do, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs engineer James Dyck. Energy prices have soared in recent years… Read More
Mechanically harvesting, drying and handling grain corn can compromise quality and take a bite out of a grower’s bottom line. Earlier this fall, OMAFRA crop systems and environment engineer James Dyck worked with Dietrich Farms of Lucan, Ontario to study mechanical breakage – the impact it has on dockage and what growers can do to… Read More
The requirement that grain must be dry enough to store without conditioning has been the primary drawback for storing grain in grain bags. The DryloBag is designed to be a solution, enabling aeration and heating of grain for long-term storage in plastic polyethylene bags. The innovation, originally developed for peanuts in South Africa, received the… Read More
If you’re looking for a portable grain dryer that purrs like a kitten, take a look at the new GSI Quiet Dryer. GSI rolled out the dryer at the 2017 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky, last week. In the video below, Jarod Wendt, GSI grain conditioning engineering manager, explains that a new fan… Read More
Where are the vents located on your grain bins? If they’re too low, you could comprise grain quality by creating a pool of hot, moist, dead air at the top of the bin that can rain on your grain. You can learn how to avoid this problem and properly place vents when you check out… Read More
Real Agriculture agronomist Peter Johnson is overwhelmed by the number of corn drying questions he’s getting from farmers. We decided it was high time we put together answers to some of the most frequently asked questions in regards to safe drying of corn. In Part 1 of our Corn School grain drying video series, Johnson… Read More