How to Convert Bushels by Volume to Bushels by Weight

Find the name of the grain that you are looking to measure on the table of standard bushel weights. Make certain that you have the proper commodity. If you are looking to convert corn, do not use the "corn, ears" but use "corn, shelled."

Multiply the number of bushels that you have by the conversion number shown in the table. Using "corn, shelled" as an example, each bushel will have a standard weight of 56 pounds. If you have three bushels of corn, its weight should be about 168 pounds.

Adjust for moisture content. If the grain has more moisture or less moisture than is used to calculate the standard, you must make an adjustment. The formula is fairly simple and requires that you first calculate the dry matter. The formula is (100 - moisture content) = dry matter. Corn, as an example, has a standard moisture content of 15.5 percent. Its standard bushel weight is 56 pounds. If you bought a bushel of corn that had a moisture content of 20 percent it would weigh more.

Calculate the dry matter using the corn example.

100 minus 15.5 = 84.5 percent dry matter

100 minus 20 = 80 percent dry matter

84.5 divided by 80 = 1.0563 percent

Weight of standard bushel (56 pounds) multiplied by 1.0563 is 59.15 pounds. This tells you that a bushel of corn with a 20 percent moisture content will weigh 3.15 pounds more than a standard bushel.