Millions of Bushels of Stored Grain Destroyed in Iowa

Iowa State Ag Secretary Mike Naig says some of the corn that was flattened by Monday’s storm will bounce back, but it’s anybody’s guess as to what percentage of damaged Iowa crops may be harvested.

Radio Iowareports that grain bins, silos and elevators were damaged as well, so losses extend to the 2019 crop.

“Tens of millions of bushels of commercial grain storage and millions of on-farm grain storage was impacted, destroyed or severely damaged,” he said during an online briefing with reporters Tuesday afternoon.

Naig warned there will be storage issues for the 2020 crop, so farmers may have to truck their corn and soybeans further or resort to on-the-ground outdoor storage.

For the latest update on the storm damage and how it will impact harvest 2020 from Dr. Erin Bowers, a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State, click below.