Grain moisture testing measures the moisture content in grain harvested for commercial sale. While there are many methods of testing moisture content, most tools measure moisture by assessing the dielectric constant, or electrical conductivity, of the grain. The more moisture content a grain has, the more conductive it will be. Using a grain moisture tester ensures accurate measurement of your grain’s moisture level.  

Accurate moisture tests are important to the management of grain sales and distribution. Conducting an accurate test ensures that a quality product is delivered to the customer, while still being cost-effective for the farmer. Using a moisture meter to test grain moisture is an efficient way to assess large batches of commercial grain. Additionally, using a moisture meter confirms that the weight of the grain is accurate, allowing farmers to take water weight into consideration when setting sale prices. Inaccurate tests can result in a loss of product due to spoilage or a loss of profit due to extra drying costs. 

An accurate grain moisture test should be done by averaging three mixed sample tests. Always test grain from several locations within the field or bin and take temperature into account, as temperatures above 80ºF may produce elevated moisture readings. Some moisture meters have a feature to manually input temperature and will adjust moisture readings accordingly. 

To test the moisture content of combine-harvested grain, hand-pick a selection of shelled grain from several plants and test the sample. In order to test the moisture content of binned grain, probe the grain in 2-3 locations. Collecting samples from varying depths in the bin ensures that the grain moisture test is accurate, and may suggest the drying patterns at different locations within the bin.

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