Preparation is essential to safely and effectively managing your grain.

Proper storage preparation should be done before harvest begins. Evaluating and identifying the areas of your operation that may need improvement or repairs will help maintain grain quality and reduce downtime.

Here is a helpful checklist for your pre-harvest audit:

• Clean and remove all of last year’s grain, dust and debris from in and around the ground piles.
• Visually inspect fan blades to make sure they are clean and balanced.
• Check aeration fans and ventilation tubes for clogs that could obstruct air flow.
• Operate aeration fans to ensure that air output is normal and the motor is functioning properly.
• Test and repair temperature cables. Replace batteries in probe heads and make sure you are reading ambient temperatures before you install probes.
• Check Co2 sensors to make sure they are reading ambient levels. If not reading ambient levels, re-calibrate.
• Inspect any exposed wires to make sure they weren’t damaged by equipment or rodents.

If you haven’t invested in the Extron Ground Pile Management System, pre-harvest is a great time to consider establishing a ground pile management system with 24/7 monitoring to provide you with the critical information you need to detect spoilage, understand trends and confidently manage your grain. Extron’s Ground Pile Management System includes wireless temperature probes, wireless CO2 sensors, and wireless fan control.

To learn more about how Extron’s Ground Pile Management System can maximize grain quality and reduce energy savings by 40-60% contact an account representative at sales@extrongrain.com