With some of last year’s grain crop still in storage and a bumper crop expected this year, the demand for grain storage is high.

“Grain can be stored in many types of facilities,” North Dakota State University Extension Service agricultural engineer Ken Hellevang says. “But all storage options should keep the grain dry and provide adequate aeration to control grain temperature.”


Structural Issues

Grain pushing against the walls can damage buildings not built for grain storage. The walls must be anchored securely, and their structural members must be strong enough to transfer the force to the building poles or support structure without breaking or bending excessively.

Typically, you’ll need additional poles and a grain wall to support the grain force in a pole building. Hellevang advises hiring an engineer to complete a structural design or analysis, or contacting the building company for guidance to prevent a structural failure.

Before placing grain in a building previously used for grain storage, look for anything out of alignment, such as a bowing wall. Also check the roofline. Bowing or bending indicates the load on the building exceeds the load for which it was designed and built.

Examine connections for separation or movement. A connector failure can lead to a building failure. You may need to reinforce the connection by adding a gusset or splice.

Storing in Bags

Storing grain in poly bags is a good option, but it does not prevent insect infestations or mold growth in damp grain, Hellevang says. Grain should be placed in the bag at recommended storage moisture contents based on grain and outdoor temperatures. Heating will occur if the grain exceeds a safe storage moisture content; grain in a bag cannot be cooled with aeration. The average temperature of dry grain will follow the average outdoor temperature.

Select an elevated, well-drained site for the storage bags, and run the bags north and south so solar heating is similar on both sides. Sunshine on just one side heats that side, which can lead to moisture accumulation in the grain on the cool side. Wildlife can puncture the bags, creating an entrance for moisture and releasing the grain smell, which attracts more wildlife. Monitor the grain temperature at several places in the bags.

Never enter a grain bag because it is a suffocation hazard. If unloading the bag with a pneumatic grain conveyor, the suction can “shrink wrap” a person so he or she cannot move and will limit space for breathing.

Grain Piles

Grain frequently is stored short term in outdoor piles. However, precipitation is a severe problem in uncovered grain. A 1-inch rain will increase the moisture content of a 1-foot layer of corn by 9 percentage points. This typically leads to the loss of at least 2 feet of grain on the pile surface. A 1-foot loss on the surface of a 25-foot-high cone-shaped pile is about 13 percent of the grain.

Hellevang strongly recommends using a cover to prevent water infiltration. Aeration and wind blowing on the pile will not dry wet grain adequately to prevent spoilage.

Prepare the ground surface where grain will be piled with lime, fly ash, cement or asphalt to prevent soil moisture from reaching the grain. The storage floor should be higher than the surrounding ground to minimize moisture transfer from the soil into the grain. Make sure the ground surface is crowned so moisture that does get into the pile drains out rather than creating a wet pocket that leads to grain deterioration. Also examine the entire area to assure that flooding will not occur during major rain events.

Grain Covers

A combination of restraining straps and suction from the aeration system holds grain covers in place. However, you must provide inlets for adequate airflow through the grain to control its temperature. Place perforated ducts on the grain under the cover to provide a controlled air intake for the aeration system and airflow near the cover to minimize condensation problems.

Properly sized and spaced ducts should be placed on the ground under the pile to pull air through the grain. If you use a perforated grain wall, the aeration ducts near the wall should not be perforated or the airflow through the grain will be limited to near the wall.

Cooling Stored Grain

Cool grain with aeration to reduce the insect infestation potential. Insect reproduction is reduced at temperatures below about 60 F, insects are dormant below about 50 F, and insects can be killed by extended exposure to temperatures below about 30 F.

Cooling grain as outdoor temperatures cool reduces moisture migration and the condensation potential near the top of the grain pile. Grain moisture content and temperature affect the rate of mold growth and grain deterioration, with the allowable storage time approximately doubling with each 10-degree reduction in grain temperature.

The grain should be cooled whenever the average outdoor temperature is 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the grain. It should be cooled to near or below 30 degrees for winter storage, depending on available air temperature.


For more information, do an online search for NDSU grain drying and storage.