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Oct. 27, 2016
2016 Logan County Fall Farm Outlook Magazine
Lincoln Daily News
lot of advantages to being able to store the grain on
the farm.”
Olson, who attended Lake Land College and then
graduated from Western Illinois University with an Ag
Business degree, also stays on top of the game and is
current in all issues related to his passion. “The talk
right now is that some of this corn can sit around in
these grain bins until next summer. Let’s say we have
trouble in this country with weather, for example a
wet spring and we plant late, which would indicate we
would have a shorter crop, or if it would be hot next
June or July, as long as the grain is in good condition
it doesn’t hurt it to stay in the bin that long. That
gives you more opportunity as far as when to market
it or different events that could change it. Most
generally it will all get to the market by end of next
August. September is kind of a weird month between
old crop and new crop, so most generally farmers are
trying to get things emptied out by the end of August
because they want to refill it with new grain. It’s
easier to store new grain than old grain.”
Olson is also pleased with the year 2016. “From a
yield standpoint it’s been very good. The bean market
has been a lot more friendly to us as far as price. Corn
has been more challenging and I think that’s probably
why a larger percentage of on-farm storage would be
corn instead of soybeans. But looking into the future
the things we are still talking about are profitability
and the marketing and that side of it is obviously very
important,” said Olson.
“But then also how to make our operations just more
efficient in general, maybe trimming the fat is kind of
what we are doing as a whole. As a group of farmers
right now is (about) eliminating some of the places
where maybe we are doing things that aren’t quite as
efficient or aren’t quite as cost-effective. I know that
farmers are very conscious that storing grain can be
used as a tool to add value to your product. I would
even say that while we are being conscious of where
we spend money and how we spend it, that I would
venture to guess that grain storage is actually still
being added because it adds value to an operation. If
you can afford to do so, the guys are doing it or at
least considering it or looking towards it.”
Olson is a big believer in using on-farm storage as a
means to making the farm operation more efficient
and potentially getting a better price on grain. Olson
also likes the longevity of the grain bin, some of
which on the Olson Farms are “older than I am” he
said.
Finally, Olson said of the grain bin, “Every year it will
be used and it’s something that we can utilize on our
operation.”