At its
spring meeting held in Winnipeg on April 14, 2005, the
Western Standards Committee (WSC) endorsed the adoption
of a
template for introducing technology into the visual
grading system for cereal grains, oilseeds and
pulses.
"Canada's grain quality
assurance system faces a number of challenges that can
be addressed through research and technology," said
Chris Hamblin, chief commissioner of the
Canadian Grain
Commission (CGC). "It is important that we have a
transparent and thorough process so that we can assess
the risks and benefits for producers and other industry
stakeholders that may result from the introduction of
technology."
The CGC will apply the
template when a proposal is made to use technology in
grain grading. The application of the template will
support the introduction of equipment, calibrations and
methods that are robust and that produce consistent and
reliable results under operational conditions.
The CGC will evaluate
proposals from both the industry and from its own
researchers and inspection specialists. The process will
incorporate research, risk assessments, evaluation, and
consultations with stakeholders. The CGC will provide a
report on new technology at each meeting of the WSC for
the first two years after the technology is in
operational use.
Visual grading involves
the assessment of various factors by highly trained
inspectors and has been a cornerstone of the segregation
and marketing of Canadian grains and oilseeds for many
years. Under certain circumstances, some grading factors
can be extremely difficult to assess visually. The
development of technology as a tool to assist inspectors
is a key aspect of research and development in the CGC's
Grain Research Laboratory.
The CGC is already
applying the process to evaluate
Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) technology to test
falling number in wheat. The CGC views this initiative
as a high priority and has dedicated resources in its
budget to continue the evaluation of RVA technology
using this newly adopted process.
The WSC also
recommended the following grading changes to come into
effect on August 1, 2005, the start of the new crop
year. The changes are subject to the regulatory
amendment process.
Wheat, Canada Western
Hard White Spring (CWHWS)
Canada
Western Hard White wheat will be called Canada Western
Hard White Spring and will become a designated class. It
will include four grades instead of three. Currently,
the grades are created by an Order of the CGC.
Severely sprouted
tolerances for three wheat classes
Tolerances for "severely sprouted" kernels will be
introduced in three classes of wheat delivered to
western Canadian primary elevators. The classes are
Canada Western Soft White Spring, Canada Prairie Spring
White and Canada Western Extra Strong. The tolerances
are to protect the quality of these classes when weather
conditions are conducive to sprout damage. The following
are the recommended tolerances:
Wheat, Canada
Western Soft White Spring (CWSWS)
| Grade |
Severely
sprouted |
Total sprouted
(includes severely sprouted) |
|
No. 1 CWSWS |
0.1% |
1.0% |
| No. 2 CWSWS |
0.3% |
5.0% |
| No. 3 CWSWS |
0.3% |
8.0% |
Wheat, Canada
Prairie Spring White (CPSW)
| Grade |
Severely
sprouted |
Total sprouted
(includes severely sprouted) |
|
No. 1 CPSW |
0.1% |
0.5% |
| No. 2 CPSW |
0.3% |
2.0% |
Wheat, Canada
Western Extra Strong (CWES)
| Grade |
Severely
sprouted |
Total sprouted
(includes severely sprouted) |
|
No. 1 CWES |
0.1% |
0.5% |
| No. 1 CWES |
0.3% |
2.0% |
Sprout-damaged kernels
reduce the water-holding capacity of flour, reducing the
number of loaves of bread obtained from a given weight
of flour. Sprout damage leads to sticky dough, causing
handling problems in the bakery, and coarse, gummy bread
that is difficult to slice and package.
Sprouting in wheat
occurs under conditions of prolonged dampness or rain.
Wheat kernels may start germinating while the wheat is
lying in the swath or when the mature crop is standing.
Research indicates that a relatively small amount of
sprout damaged kernels can do significant damage.
Four other wheat
classes - Canada Western Red Spring, Canada Western
Amber Durum, Canada Prairie Spring Red and Canada
Western Red Winter have tolerances for severely sprouted
kernels.
Minimum test weight
for Wheat, No. 5 Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD)
A minimum
test weight for No. 5 CWAD will be introduced. The test
weight will be 65.0 kg/hL.
The
Western Standards Committee meets twice a year to
recommend specifications for grades of grain, and select
and recommend standard samples to the CGC.
The CGC is the federal
agency responsible for establishing and maintaining
Canada's grain quality standards. 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.
