Very dry canola can still spoil

Jim Bessel, senior agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada in Saskatoon, reminds farmers that canola harvested in September went into the bin hot and is probably still too hot in the centre for safe storage. Canola has to be dry AND cool to be safe.

Remember, the seed might not contain much water, but it’s 40 to 45 per cent oil. Several tonnes of hot canola piled in a bin exerts a lot of pressure. Pressure means more heat. You need to cool that grain down.

If you’ve got a wide squat bin, aeration is probably enough, says Bessel. But if it’s a tall narrow bin, like many of the hopper bottoms, aeration alone might not be sufficient. Compaction pressure is higher in these bins and airflow can be reduced, he says. The best bet it to take out a load or two on a cool dry fall day and put it back in the top.

For all you need to know about canola storage, Alberta agriculture has a very thorough fact sheet on line.