Getting your moisture meter checked and calibrated before harvest every year might seem like a chore, but it is one of the requirements of ACCS.

And so it should be, says Openfield‘s stores services manager Simon Ward, as moisture meters often don’t receive the best treatment between years.

“They need to be kept safe, clean and dry, even when they’re not being used,” he advises. “All too often, they arrive at one of our clinics covered in dust and mouse droppings, having been dug out of an outbuilding the day before.”

Looking after the machine and having it checked regularly will save growers the expense of having to buy a new one, which may amount to between £600 and £800, he continues.

“Every year, we see some quite old machines at our moisture meter clinics,” recalls Mr Ward. “And they’re still working very well, because they’ve been stored and maintained correctly in between times.”

Attending a moisture meter clinic is the best way of getting the annual check done, he believes.

“At Openfield, we will have samples of wheat, barley and oilseed rape which have been oven tested, so are all at a known moisture content. These can then be run through each farmer’s machine, so that any necessary adjustments can be made.

“It’s quick and reliable, and either free of charge or costs a nominal fee.”

An alternative is to send the moisture meter back to the manufacturer for calibration, he acknowledges. “It will cost you more and you have the inconvenience of being without the meter for a few weeks, at a time when you might need it.”

The basic check is fine for an ACCS certificate, but some growers will get their machines retested once they get into new crop, explains Mr Ward. “It’s not a bad idea, as there can be slight differences in the new crop year. Just take it to your local merchant or central store.”

No amount of calibration will help if the grain sample is inadequate, he ends. “Just picking out a handful of grain won’t give you an accurate result, regardless of the sophistication of your moisture meter.

“The grain sample must be representative of the bulk and growers should refer to the HGCA guidelines if they are uncertain of how to achieve this.”