Analysis of corn harvesting and grain handling systems in northeastern Virginia

Typical grain and combination grain and Livestock farms in Northeastern Virginia were selected for study of the available resources and their restrictions for harvesting, handling, drying and storing corn.

The costs involved in various combinations of machinery and equipment for performing the above operations were analyzed and the proper combinations of resources under alternative resource and price conditions determined.

A model for approximating the seasonal movement of prices was developed and used to predict the variability in the historical average price in the area.

An enterprise budget was presented as an example for preparing budgets and estimates for specific farm situations with conditions similar to those existing in the ares of this study.

Significant differences were found among the farms in the returns from the corn enterprise due to the time of sale, seasonal fluctuations in price, the quality and quantity of corn disposed, and the methods and resources used to harvest, dry, and store corn. It was found that the size of the operation, the resources available, risk and uncertainty, and timeliness must be considered in order to select a profit maximizing grain handling system.