![Stored grain pests are a serious issue for agronomist Philip Burrill. Stored grain pests are a serious issue for agronomist Philip Burrill.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-agfeed/2039377.jpg/r0_0_1024_683_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
EFFECTIVELY storing grain on-farm and building relationships with buyers are growing topics of discussion among farmers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry senior development agronomist Philip Burrill said increasing numbers of growers were looking to boost their on-farm storage holdings.
Speaking at Ag Show, Mr Burrill said hygiene, regular checking, aeration and choosing the right silo were the keys to storing grain effectively.
“Hygiene is very important and that’s really just cleaning out silos, headers, augers and all the grain handling equipment,” he said.
“Grain residues form a nice, little location for insects to breed and that’s usually where the start of an infestation comes from – those problem hygiene areas.
“It’s also really important that we get used to having a monthly schedule of checking.
“Not only are we sieving the grain for storage pests it is also helpful to check the grain in terms of quality, moisture or other issues that might be occurring.”
Mr Burrill said aerating grain was a great, non-chemical way to reduce stored grain pests.
He also stressed the importance of choosing a silo suited to Australian conditions.
“If you can lower the grain temperature it makes life very uncomfortable for most storage pests – you can actually stop some of these pests from breeding just by lowering the temperature,” he said.
“The next step is making sure your fan is operating at the right time of day so you are getting the coldest air but also ensuring you don’t put high humidity air into the silo.
“Lastly, growers should look carefully and do background checks on the sort of silos they are considering before purchasing.
“You need to consider the design of the silo, whether you can clean it out properly, and that it can be sealed properly to get the most out of fumigation and aeration.”
Mr Burrill encouraged growers to further their understanding of the role they played in the domestic and export grain market.
“I think in a deregulated environment it’s very important for growers to build relationships with grain buyers,” he said.
“By building a good reputation, when buyers are taking grain they can have the confidence to know that this grower operates his storage well and they can be almost assured that when they get delivery of these truckloads of grain they won’t have a problem with them.
“That’s very important and augers well in the long run for growers.”