It is a deceptively simple biological process, but it remains one of the most hidden and lethal hazards on modern farms. When fresh crops are stored away, the danger begins almost immediately.
Silo gas is a toxic, hazardous mixture of gases, primarily nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide, that forms naturally from the fermentation of freshly chopped forage (like corn or alfalfa) inside a silo.
“When corn or the alfalfa or the grass is put into the silo, it starts to ferment and it creates gas, and so it’s working in an oxygen deficient environment, and so then it replaces the air,” said Walter Gross, retired owner of Husky Farm Equipment in Alma and an active proponent for farm safety.
