Standard samples for 2012-13 crop year approved by Western Standards Committee

WINNIPEG, Dec. 18, 2012 /CNW/ – At its meeting in Winnipeg on November
8, 2012, the Western Standards Committee recommended new standard
samples, standard prints and guide samples for wheat, soybean and oats.

At the meeting, Canadian Grain Commission inspection experts reported
that the most common grading factors were:

        --  Mildew and fusarium damage in wheat
        --  Distinctly green seeds in canola
        --  Weather staining and immaturity in soybeans

Standard samples, standard prints and guide samples

Standard samples, standard prints and guide samples are grading tools
that the Canadian Grain Commission prepares each year. Members of the
Western Standards Committee examine these tools and recommend their
use.

New standard samples

The Western Standards Committee recommended the following new standard
samples for the 2012-2013 crop year:

        --  Wheat, # 1 Canada Western Red Spring
        --  Soybean, # 1 Canada Yellow

Standard samples and prints previously adopted for other grades and
grains will continue to be used.

New guide samples

The Western Standards Committee recommended the following new guide
samples for the 2012-2013 crop year:

        --  Wheat, # 1 Canada Western Red Spring (Mildew Guide)
        --  Wheat, # 1 Canada Western Red Winter (Mildew Guide)
        --  Wheat, # 2 Canada Western Red Winter (Mildew Guide)
        --  Wheat, # 1 Canada Western Hard White Spring (Mildew Guide)
        --  Wheat, # 2 Canada Western Hard White Spring (Mildew Guide)
        --  Oats, Canada Western (Good Colour Guide), (Print)
        --  Oats, Canada Western (Fair Colour Guide), (Print)

Guide samples previously adopted for other grades and grain will
continue to be used.

Removal of active standards

The Western Standards Committee recommended removing the following
standard samples as active samples for the 2012-2013 crop year.

        --  Domestic mustard, # 1 Canada Yellow (created in 1994)
        --  Domestic mustard, # 1 Canada Oriental (created in 1994)
        --  Oats, Canada Western Good Colour (Standard)

Grading changes effective August 1, 2013

        --  Removal of the class Solin, Canada Western (CW)
        --  Revised moisture specifications for Barley, Canada Western (CW)
            Food
        --  Revised sprouted tolerances for Wheat, Canada Western Amber
            Durum

Grading studies and projects

The Western Standards Committee bases its grading recommendations, in
part, on the outcome of grading studies and projects.  At the meeting,
the committee received updates on several projects.

        --  A review of moisture levels for stored beans was completed and
            no changes were recommended as a result.
        --  A study on the impact of immature peas on end-use functionality
            was completed and no changes were recommended as a result.
        --  A working group is evaluating whether the canola industry would
            benefit from adopting near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy
            (NIRS) instruments to measure chlorophyll content.

About the Western Standards Committee

The Western Standards Committee meets twice a year to recommend
specifications for grades of grain, and to select and recommend
standard and guide samples to the Canadian Grain Commission. Members
represent different sectors of the grain industry and include
producers, grain processors, and exporters.

About the Canadian Grain Commission

The Canadian Grain Commission 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 Canadian Grain
Commission regulates the grain industry to protect producers’ rights
and ensure the integrity of grain transactions.

SOURCE Canadian Grain Commission