wheat grain
Grain grades are a tool used to define the quality of grains as they relate to performance during processing and the quality of end products.  
 
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA — The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is updating its guidelines for the assessment of frost, heat stress and mildew damage in wheat. Beginning in the 2018-19 crop year, individual standard samples for frost/heat stress and mildew will replace the current combined standard samples as the assessment tools for these grading factors in all classes of Western Canadian wheat. 
Patti Miller CGC chief commissioner
Patti Miller, chief commissioner of the CGC

“The Canadian Grain Commission is committed to science-based evaluation as the cornerstone of the grading system,” said Patti Miller, chief commissioner of the CGC. “As part of our broader grain grading modernization, this change will help to better meet the evolving needs of the grain industry while safeguarding the quality and reputation of Canadian wheat.”

Under the previous guidelines, if both factors were present in a delivery, they were jointly assessed using the combined standard samples. New research conducted by the CGC has demonstrated that these grading factors do not have a compounding negative effect on the end-use functionality of the wheat. Individual assessment of these grading factors will prevent unnecessary downgrading of wheat while maintaining the high standards of functional quality that customers of Canadian wheat have come to expect.

Grain grades are a tool used to define the quality of grains as they relate to performance during processing and the quality of end products.

These updated grading practices were recommended by the Western Standards Committee, which represents stakeholders from across the grain value chain. The changes are being implemented as part of the CGC’s ongoing initiative to modernize Canada’s grain grading system and to ensure that grain is graded using the most effective, precise and user-friendly tools possible.

The new standards for frost, heat stress and mildew will come into effect on Aug. 1, 2018, for Western wheat classes. These changes are not applicable in Eastern wheat classes. However, the guides for mildew in Eastern wheat classes will be renamed as standards, effective July 1, 2018.

Under the Canada Grain Act, the CGC is responsible for establishing and maintaining Canada’s grain grading system. Its programs result in shipments of grain that consistently meet contract specifications for quality, safety and quantity. The CGC regulates the grain industry to protect producers' rights and ensure the integrity of grain transactions.