Propane Council Expects Normal Grain Drying Season
According to data compiled by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), the 2020 grain drying season is forecasted to be “normal.”
“We’ve spent the last several months looking at planting reports, crop moisture tables, and weather forecasts, and the upcoming harvest is looking much more normal compared to 2019,” said Mike Newland, director of agriculture business development at the Propane Council. “Current trends show a drier season and more irrigation needed ahead of the 2020 harvest season, making it less likely that significant grain drying will occur as heating needs increase, as was the case in 2019.”
Newland also notes that the weather-related issues in 2019 that led to spikes in demand have not repeated in 2020.
Additionally, PERC has developed a Grain Drying Calculator. This tool requires three data points from the farmer to then give them a forecast of the required gallons. PERC hops this tool helps farmers work with their retailers for the future drying needs.
Additionally, for propane suppliers PERC has developed a Grain Drying Demand Model to help them plan for distribution needs. This tool allows them to closely monitors USDA corn moisture level data, compare that data with a five-year average and the minimum and maximum moistures from the past 20 years.
“We’re encouraging farmers and propane suppliers to take advantage of these tools and establish a line of communication now to ensure their tanks are full and ready when needed,” said Newland.
