Careful with Canola to be Combined in Coming Weeks

Canola that has recently been swathed or those fields that are yet to be swathed will likely only be combined near the end of September and into October. Depending on the weather, storage could be a challenge. If canola is combined ‘tough’, it is difficult for aeration to bring down the moisture content substantially in storage especially if cool, wet conditions occur later in the fall. Consider heated air drying if moisture content must be reduced significantly, but avoid excessive temperatures as the high oil content increases the risk of fires and seed damage (see link in the previous section). Whenever possible, harvest canola as close to dry as feasible and only expect aeration to cool down the temperature of the grain. If you do not have access to aeration, then be prepared to move canola from bin to bin to interrupt the respiration of the canola. Check bins frequently because you will likely need to start moving canola between bins within a week to ten days.