Combines QuestionIJ

Bushels are nothing more than a unit of reference that dates back to a time before any of us. Despite using bushels as reference, our grain in the States is marketed by its weight (56 lbs. _ bushel for corn and 60lbs. _ bushel for soybeans and wheat) and consolidated into contracts for marketing. One contract = 5,000 bushels of corn, soybeans or wheat. Contracts vs. tons or tonnes, which is better, they are each a unit of commodity for marketing. Imperial tons or even Metric tonnes would be an easier unit to deal with because they are an actual weight vs. using the specific weight of grain batched into volume. It's the same reason why we use the imperial system vs. the metric system. There is really no logical reason to support the use of the imperial form of measurement other than it was a major differntiator way back when.

like was stated above this site is a little slow right now so I would like some discussion on the weight of soybeans and corn. Here in Central Kansas I can remmember harvesting 60 bushel soybeans only once in my life, most are 56 to 58 and that includes irrigated. The majority of the corn that I harvest is from 58 to 60 and on occation as high as 62 and 63. Is it the same in the major corn and soybean growing areasIJ

Ah yes, when will we ever change to the Metric system. It sure would make things a lot simplier if we would just once and for all made the move to metric like all of the rest of the industrialized world. But the resistance to change to metrics in the USA is amazing. I think world trade and international standards will eventually cause it to happen. More an more equipment and vehicles are all metric now. So far the only thing we buy in metric sizes is wine and spirits. Mainly because .75 liters is less than the old 1_5 of a gallon that it used to be sold in. So we stuggle on using two systems, learning two systems. Two sets of wrenches, two sizes of fasteners. "There are none so blind as those who will not see."

There is some logic to using a bushel in determing the quality of the grain. If one bushel weighs 62 lbs. and another weighs 55 lbs. which would you rather buy_own_sellIJ Otherwise, It makes no difference whether you sell it by the pound or the bushel. Even if you sell it by the ton, you still want a measure of the quality of the grain and the weight per bushel is just one means of determining actual quality. So which really is better as long as you jump through the mathematic hoopsIJ Neither in and of itself is superior. When you haul grain to the elevator they weigh it, then back into the bushels anyway.

I think what you want to say is 60 lb soys, not 60 bushel soys. This system we have is so complicated in favor of professional grain traders that those of us who raise the crop have a hard time deciphering it.

America hangs on to this bushel business because it favors grain buyers. Every bushel I raise gets automatic dockage because of test weight. The metric system doesnt use volume measurement so there can be no dockage for test weight. Perhaps R.O.M. or someone who is more familiar with the grain trade in the rest of the world can offer a comment on this. America will convert to the metric system as soon as we get enough school teachers who can teach it.

Hi Tom. If you want to see what we have to put up with then try the following website. http:__www.awb.com.au_growers_receivalstds_wheatreceivalstandards_ Check one of the boxes; APH = Australian Prime Hard. AH = Aus. Hard. ASW= Aus Soft White. AGP=Aus.General Purpose. Feed= Feed. Standards Definitions are in the box left screen. Our test weight is given as Kgs_ hectolitre or 1_ 10 cubic metre. Multiply by 10 and you have the weight per cubic metre. As you can see the Wheat standard test weight is set at around the 74 kgs_ Hl depending on the quality parameters which translates to 740 kgs a cubic metre. Why we use the Hectolitre I don't know. It could be the fact that it is the standard grain test weight system in the world's international grain trade. Our payment is then adjusted up or down according to whether we have exceeded the different criteria or failed to achieve them. Our grain is not cleaned on delivery. What they probe and test out of your truck is what you get paid for. Our grain is delivered and mostly stored in "on ground bunkers" at large central delivery points during the harvest. Australia went from a pure imperial measuring system to a pure decimal measuring system in one jump in the late 1960's. To complicate things we also went from the british based pound currency system to the metric type dollar system around the same time as well. We all lived through it and are much better off for having taken the step to a very easy system that even 68 year olds like me can adapt to. Cheers.

Should have added; we get paid per "tonne" for all our grain products. Cheers.

I am FOR changing and thinking in the metric system every INCH of the way.......

Thanks Tom, that is what I wanted to say! Darn senor moment there.