It's that time of the year when Wisconsin dairy and beef producers and Wisconsin corn growers explore their options of buying or selling high moisture shell corn (HMSC). This is especially true this year in the northern two-thirds of the state with so much wet corn still in the field.

To help farmers better evaluate their options, the University of Wisconsin-Extension released a Smartphone app this fall to provide a simple way to help estimate the market value of HMSC based on three main variables – dry corn moisture, current corn moisture and price per bushel.

The HMSC$ app is free and available for Android smart phones and tablets on the Google Play store by searching for "HMSC".

Farmers can use this app to help determine an equivalent value for wet shell corn when compared with a dry shell corn price - a link to current local elevator dry corn bid prices is built into the app. The equivalent wet price is then calculated and displayed in both price per ton and price per bushel. Additional costs for drying and/or shelling can be evaluated under the expense tab. The app also features the ability to email the results directly to others.

"Although a desktop Excel spreadsheet for pricing HMSC is available on the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Profitability web site, it doesn't have the ability to bring up current market information or automatically share the results", said Greg Blonde, UW-Extension Waupaca County agriculture agent. "When you're out in the field or on the go, the HMSC$ app is a great resource tool to have on your Smartphone or tablet computer."

Blonde also noted the app may be useful to grain elevator managers, as well as Ag lenders and farm managers for valuing their grain or feed inventories.
Return to Industry Buzz.


10.23.2014