To maintain the best quality of the small grain crops, NDSU Extension Ag Engineer Ken Hellevang reminds growers to monitor crop moisture going into the grain bin. “Typically, we don’t like to see more than about 17 percent moisture for barley and spring wheat going into the grain bin. We also need an air flow rate of at least three-quarters of a CFM per bushel,” says Hellevang. “Some may try to push that a bit, but if they do, there’s a potential for barley to germinate.” As farmers clean out grain bins, grain dust and moldy conditions must be considered are respiratory hazards. “Wear at least an N-95 mask to protect the lungs and respiratory systems. Bins need cleaned, because we don’t want problems from last year to be there this year.”
