Plan takes panic out of harvest

For many, challenges have been climatic but the impact is likely to be felt, with reduced potential yield or quality challenges.

Yield is a reflection on what could have been. Quality is what you are dealing with at the local silo.

We are already fielding calls about grain with real and potential quality issues. The beginning and end message to this is 'don't panic'.

We need to first know what we are dealing with in terms of quality, then develop an action plan to achieve the best financial outcome.

For something different let's look at a flying analogy.

If the engine cuts out you have two choices - panicking, putting your hands up and placing the problem in the 'too hard basket' or assessing your options by asking 'can I make it here?' or 'if I can't make it there what is my alternative plan?'.

Unfortunately the outcome of the first option can be a bit nasty. While a grain quality issue should not end in a literal fiery mess, you can burn a lot of money by panicking and making rash decisions.

Take a step back and assess the options available to you.

So, how can you plan for something you don't know?

The number-one rule is simple: do not jump to a conclusion driven by emotion.

Going out into the paddock and doing your own visual assessments for yield is a critical part of grain marketing.

Visual assessments on quality, however, are high variable. What makes it harder is that nine times out of 10, your own assessment will reflect your intuitive thinking. This is likely to be overly critical.

Actual harvested grain is different to hand-picked samples. Testing is the only way to establish exactly what you are dealing with. Once this is done you'll either have a good surprise, or your hunch will be confirmed.

It is also worth checking test data for trends. For instance, if you had low-oil canola that was significantly different to other loads ask yourself where it came from on the farm and if there were any issues that can be managed on farm.

What options are available if you do have poor quality? You could take it back on farm and clean it. This especially applies to pulses as grade specifications are tight and washing out a contract in a strong pulse market will be cost-prohibitive.

Evaluate grade spreads on any contracts as delivery of lower grades may be possible and result in a higher financial return.

Another option is utilising the domestic or container markets. These markets can often manage your quality issue and offer a viable alternative to the warehouse.

If you can't deal with it at the time and on-farm storage is available, a viable option is to store grain and manage your specific problem after harvest, when time permits.

If this is an isolated paddock and quality is an issue, then blending on farm may present as an opportunity.

We often find that holding grain of lower quality can provide a better net benefit.

This is because the market has a happy knack of sorting quality issues, all that is required is a dose of rational thinking and time.

Unfortunately, they are not always freely available at harvest.

Sometimes it is necessary to stop the header and invest the time to sort things. It helps to be able to bounce decisions off others to check your thinking or come up with other ideas.