Grain Storage & Drying Cost Calculator
Storing wet grain costs you in two ways: shrink (weight loss as it dries) and the drying charge itself, plus the interest on money tied up in stored bushels. This models all three.
What does this tool do?
Grain Storage & Drying Cost Calculator computes the result directly in your browser — Storing wet grain costs you in two ways: shrink (weight loss as it dries) and the drying charge itself, plus the interest on money tied up in stored bushels. This models all three. Nothing you enter is uploaded or stored.
Shrink (Purdue NCH-61): dry bushels = wet bushels × (100 − harvest moisture%) ÷ (100 − target moisture%). Water shrink alone is ~1.18% per point at a 15% target; commercial elevators often use a higher factor (e.g. 1.4%/point) that includes handling loss. Drying cost: wet bushels × points removed × rate per point (example $0.05/bu/pt). Interest: stored value × annual rate × (months ÷ 12) — the opportunity cost of cash tied up in the bin. Safe storage: corn should dry to ~14-15%; store cooler than 50°F and aerate to control mold.
FAQ
How much grain is lost to shrink?
At a 15% target, each point of moisture costs about 1.18% of wet weight in water shrink alone, before handling loss. Corn at 20.5% drying to 15% loses roughly 6.5% to shrink.
Is it better to sell wet or dry?
Sell wet if the elevator's wet-sale price minus shrink and drying charges nets more than drying on-farm and storing. This calculator compares the pieces so you can decide with real numbers.
What is a typical drying charge?
Commercial drying runs roughly $0.03-$0.08 per bushel per point in 2026 examples, plus handling and storage fees. On-farm drying has fuel and electricity instead.
Figures are editable example defaults for planning, not guarantees. Crop inputs, prices, and moisture handling vary by farm, region, and year — verify with your local extension service and agronomist.