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Corn Harvest Quality Report 2012/2013

Contents

  1. Harvest Quality Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. Quality Test Results
  4. Moisture
  5. Chemical Composition
  6. Physical Factors
  7. Mycotoxins
  8. Crop and Weather Conditions
  9. Planting and Early Growth Conditions - Spring (March-May)
  10. Pollination and Grain Fill Conditions - Summer (June-August)
  11. Harvest Conditions (August-October +)
  12. U.S. Corn Production, Usage, Outlook
  13. U.S. Corn Use and Ending Stocks
  14. Outlook
  15. Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  16. Survey Design and Sampling
  17. Statistical Analysis
  18. Testing Analysis Methods
  19. Corn Grading Factors
  20. Moisture
  21. Chemical Composition
  22. Physical Factors
  23. Mycotoxin Testing
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B. Moisture

Moisture content is reported on official grade certificates, but does not determine which numerical grade will be assigned to the sample. Moisture content affects the amount of dry matter being sold and purchased. Moisture is also an indicator for drying that might be needed, has potential implications for storability, and affects test weight. Higher moisture content at harvest increases kernel damage during harvesting and drying, and the amount of drying required will affect stress cracks, breakage, and germination. Extremely wet grain may be a precursor to high mold damage later in storage or transport. While the weather during the growing season affects yield and the development of the grain, grain harvest moisture is influenced largely by the timing and harvest weather conditions.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The U.S. Aggregate elevator-recorded moisture averaged 15.3% with a minimum of 8.9% and a maximum of 24.7%.
  • The U.S. Aggregate moisture was lower in 2012 than 2011 (15.3% compared to 15.6%) but the range and standard deviation were slightly greater.
  • The U.S. Aggregate moisture values were distributed with 50.9% of the samples containing 15% or less moisture. This is the base used by most elevators for discounts and is a level considered storable for short periods. This was an improvement over the 44.8% in the 2011 crop. 31.7% of the samples contained 14% or less moisture compared to 21.1% in 2011 which is generally considered a safe level for storage and transport without drying.
  • The U.S. Aggregate moisture averages for corn from the Gulf, Pacific Northwest, and Southern Rail ECAs were 15.8%, 13.9% and 14.7%, respectively.
  • The Gulf ECA average moisture was the highest of the three ECAs in both 2012 and 2011. The high 2012 Gulf ECA average moistures may have been due in part to the earlier than normal harvest in many of the areas in the Gulf ECA.

SUMMARY: GRADE FACTORS AND MOISTURE

  • The quality of the 2012 crop samples was slightly better on all grade factors than the 2011 crop samples, although both were high quality at the point of first delivery.
  • Test weight was high with U.S. Aggregate samples averaging 58.8 lb/bu (75.6 kg/hl).
  • BCFM of incoming corn was very low with a U.S. Aggregate average of 0.8%, consisting primarily of broken corn.
  • Average total damage was extremely low for incoming corn, ranging from 0.5 to 0.9% among ECAs. The range among samples was from 0.0 to 12.7% with only one sample above 5%. In addition, no heat damage was reported on any of the samples.
  • Of the inbound elevator samples, 98.6% would grade U.S. No. 2 or better on all grade determining factors (the criteria found in most export contracts). Over time, subsequent handling, drying, and storage may cause quality to be lower.
  • The U.S. Aggregate elevator-recorded moisture averaged 15.3% with 50.9% of the samples containing 15% or less moisture. In addition, 31.7% contained 14% or less, requiring no high temperature drying. Drought conditions in many regions resulted in a higher percentage of the crop drying in the field, resulting in less artificial drying and increasing the overall quality of the 2012 corn crop.