Starting August 1, updates will be coming to the Canadian Grain Commission’s Official Grain Grading Guide.

The changes were made after consultations through the Western Standards Committee and Eastern Standards Committee. The series of grading changes will better meet the needs of the agriculture sector in Canada and grain buyers worldwide.

Mildew standards for eastern and western red wheat

Current mildew standard samples for Canada Eastern Red Spring (CERS), Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS), and Canada Western Red Winter (CWRW) wheat are being replaced. Updated standard samples for No. 1 and No. 2 CERS wheat went into effect on July 1 in eastern Canada, and No. 1 and No. 2 CWRS wheat will be effective on August 1 in western Canada. The mildew standard for Wheat, No. 3 CERS, Wheat, No. 3 CWRS, and Wheat, No. 3 CWRW will no longer be a grading factor for those grades.

The standard samples are being updated after the Canadian Grain Commission conducted extensive research over multiple years, which found that mildew had minimal impact on flour yield and refinement, dough properties, and baking quality. However, mildew remains a grading factor for other grades as it can provide additional quality protection to accompany sprout tolerances.

Splits tolerance for No. 2 Canada Green Peas

The splits tolerance in No. 2 Canada Green Peas will be changed from 1% to 3% effective August 1, across Canada. This change is in response to the Canadian agriculture sector advising the Canadian Grain Commission that the 3% splits tolerance better reflects how the sector handles and exports No. 2 Canada Green Peas.

Tolerance for inconspicuous admixture in canola

The tolerance for inconspicuous admixture in the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 grades of canola will be changed from 5% to 1.0%. This is in response to quality concerns discovered with canola samples containing 5% admixture and will help to ensure Canada’s reputation for high-quality canola.

Coloured beans will need to be registered to be eligible for the highest grades.

Only the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) registered varieties of coloured beans will be eligible for the highest statutory grades for beans in Canada. Most coloured beans currently grown in Canada have completed the variety registration process.

Coloured beans include but are not limited to black beans, cranberry beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, Mexican red beans, and yellow eye beans.

Excreta tolerance for domestic mustard seed

The tolerance for excreta in the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 grades of domestic mustard seed is updated from 1 kernel-size piece per 500 grams to 0.01%. This change aligns with excreta tolerances for other official grains while ensuring stringent quality control.