Keep cool and carry on keeping out any vermin
As published in The Courier and Press & Journal Farm Focus, 24 August 2026
A view from John Hutcheson, Fife arable farmer and Chair of Scottish Quality Crops (SQC)
The one certainty about arable farming is that no two years are the same. Our winter barley harvest at Leckerstone started on Thursday 16 July in record hot dry conditions, with grain moistures quicky falling each day, reaching a low of 12%.
No drying required, but putting grain into store at 25c means that cooling becomes a priority – the inconvenience and cost of drying is replaced with the hassle of filling stores with carefully placed pedestals, monitoring grain temperatures and managing fan use to take advantage of the cooler night-time air. Failure to do this risks grain heating and insect infestation – and this risk is greater if drying is required and grain is going into store at near 14% moisture.
Last year’s reduced demand for malting barley looks likely to carry through again to this year. The problems that the distilling industry is experiencing were highlighted recently by a report that showed a link between weight-loss drugs and reduced alcohol consumption (as well as reduced food consumption). Given that there are 100 million people in the world on these drugs, a figure that is rising all the time, it is no surprise that our whisky industry is revising its sales forecasts and reducing production.
Like others, we took the gamble and sowed less malting barley for the 2026 harvest, but it means more spring feed barley requiring drying and storing.
This may mean longer term storage is needed again this year. It’s an important consideration for those of us who have a temporary store. In many cases the work required to upgrade a store from temporary to permanent is minimal, but with my SQC hat on, I’d encourage growers to plan ahead for this.
Rodent control, and reducing the likelihood of vermin ingress into grain stores, is one of the SQC scheme’s critical control points. Grain in temporary storage is most at risk from vermin, and this is why SQC standards limit the time grain is allowed in such stores. To help growers decide if changes can be made to their own temporary store, a clear definition and checklist for both types of store has been published on the SQC website.
With the spraying season over bar pre-harvest glyphosate, there has been a chance to wash down and thoroughly inspect our sprayer before carrying out both essential and preventative maintenance. It always surprises me how much nozzles can vary in their output against target rate both individually and in total, and with spend on plant protection products rising significantly from last year, jug testing is an essential part of our arable system - especially now that many modern sprayers have complex nozzle control systems that can block, jam or show partial functionality.
Proof of testing and calibrating sprayers is another check for SQC Standards to reassure customers that active ingredients have been responsibly applied and meet food safety standards. It’s also simply good farming practice, though, and something we can all do to save on input costs while ensuring accurate, uniform product application.
So, with the quirks this harvest is likely to throw up, I wish you all the best for bringing it in while also encouraging you to take a stitch in time at this busy time to make for an easy audit.
Ensure your moisture meters are calibrated and the grain temperature regularly recorded - which are not only are these two elements part of the Standards, but they are designed to reduce risk and cost to growers. Test and calibrate sprayers if you haven’t already. Also think ahead about storage should there be a need to hold on to grain longer this year. This is all good farming practice, but it also makes for a straight-forward and confident audit when the time comes.
