Get an assessment of your grain’s quality

Agri-News – Newsletter archive

See event listings and more articles in this edition of Agri-News: October 11, 2022 issue

“One of the services of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is the Harvest Sample Program, which gives producers a free grade on samples from that year’s crop,” says Neil Blue, provincial crops market analyst with the Alberta government. “Producers can then use those grades as part of their crop marketing.”

The grade information from the CGC provides the producer with a base grade to compare with grades on those same representative samples provided to crop buyers. Grading is based on both visual opinion and instrument analysis, resulting in some differences in grades assigned. The CGC grade is unofficial, but is from an independent, non-commercial source. It is not used in negotiating a sale grade, but it gives producers confidence in shopping the market with their product.

On request, the Canadian Grain Commission sends producers postage-paid envelopes in which they can place representative samples and return to the Commission. The Harvest Sample Program can be used for cereal grains, pulses, canola, flaxseed, mustard seed and soybeans. The grading report includes the following valuable information that a producer can use in crop marketing:

unofficial grade
dockage assessment on canola
protein content on barley, beans, chickpeas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
falling number for wheat and rye
vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol or DON) levels for wheat, corn and barley

Grade results are available within 20 business days from when the CGC receives a sample. Producers can submit samples of their newly harvested crops each fall.

“Individual reports remain confidential, but in collecting the grade information, the Commission can assemble and publish aggregated data on crop quality, useful to sellers and both domestic and international buyers,” says Blue. “Producers may sign up for the Harvest Sample Program on the website of the Canadian Grain Commission.”

For more information, see:
Canadian Grain Commission Harvest Sample Program