Grain Moisture Shrink
Calculator

Shrink is the weight loss that occurs when grain is dried from a higher moisture content down to a target (often the standard market moisture), since removing water removes weight, not just volume. It's why 100 tonnes of wet grain never becomes 100 tonnes of dry grain.

Because moisture percentage is measured relative to the total wet weight, not the dry matter, shrink must be calculated using the standard shrink formula that accounts for how the wet basis percentage shifts as water is removed. A naive subtraction of moisture percentages understates the true weight loss.

Not exactly — elevators often apply an additional 'shrink factor' or handling charge beyond the pure physical moisture loss, partly to cover their own handling costs and drying risk. Always check your specific buyer's shrink schedule rather than assuming it matches the pure physical calculation.

Since payment is based on the dry, standard-moisture weight, delivering wetter grain means a larger shrink deduction and therefore less payable weight, even though the truck was loaded with the same wet tonnage. Drying grain on-farm before delivery can reduce this deduction if the drying cost is lower than the elevator's shrink and drying charges.

Once grain is at or below the target standard moisture, there is no shrink to calculate — the shrink formula only applies when moving from a higher moisture content down to that standard. Grain delivered already at or under standard moisture is paid on its actual delivered weight.