With harvest looming and the busiest time of year for farmers set to begin. Have you prepared your grain store for harvest?
Investing significant time and money into your grain is just as important as the cleanliness of your store. Avoid loss or downgraded lower value specification with these few simple steps. Grain store management and cleaning is one of those tedious jobs we wish to avoid and just crack on, but to ensure optimal performance follow these.
Clean.
Starting off with your roof level, brush off or use an industrial hoover to remove any debris working your way down the sides, completing the sheeting rails, shedder flashings, conveyors and panels. Ensure no hidden crop from last year’s harvest remains as this can harbour insects.
Once all unwanted debris is at ground level, sweep up to one end and remove it away from the site.
If you have drying floors installed, ensure that all cavities are grain and dust free, You can use sticky taps to detect and monitor insect populations.
Ensure you are using a food-safe disinfectant or sanitiser and ensure it’s dry before storing your grain.
Inspect.
Inspect all areas for potential water ingress.
- External fans,
- guttering,
- roofs,
- concrete panels.
- Louvre vents
Check all rodent boxes and insect traps around the building and rebait where necessary. Inspecting your bait boxes regularly will enable you to monitor and record vermin activity around your store.
Check that your building is structurally sound, and don’t forget to look up! Look for any cracks or hairline fractures in roof sheets and replace where necessary.
For rainwater goods, these need to free of any leaves/moss that may build up and cause a potential blockage. Use a brush or a pressure washer to clean away any debris and remove from the gutter.
Protect.
Insecticidal treatments should be carried out a few weeks before harvest comes in the store. It will give you a maximum protection as the insects come into contact with the active agents of the spray. Using a widespread lance will give you quicker/easier coverage. Although this will minimise the risk of intrusion from mites and insects, it simply will not eliminate them.
Of course, we can’t tell you what to do! But we do want you to have a successful harvest and hope the above tips will help.
