Eastern Grain Standards Committee recommendations from April 20, 2006

At its meeting on April 20, 2006, the Eastern Standards Committee (ESC) recommended the following grading changes to come into effect on July 1, 2006. All changes are subject to the regulatory amendment process. Several provisions of the Canada Grain Act authorize the Canadian Grain Commission to make regulations. Regulations are considered as general applications and are in effect from their issue date until repealed or amended.

Wheat, Canada Eastern

The following grading changes to Canada Eastern wheat classes will be effective July 1, 2006:

• Designate Canada Eastern Hard White Spring wheat as an official wheat class.
• Widen the tolerance for fusarium-damaged kernels from 1.0 percent to 1.5 percent in the No. 3 grades of the following wheat classes:
  • Canada Eastern Red
  • Canada Eastern Red Spring
  • Canada Eastern Hard Red Winter
  • Canada Eastern Soft Red Winter
  • Canada Eastern Hard White Spring

During the past two years, the Canadian Grain Commission has evaluated the relationship between the percentage of fusarium-damaged kernels and values for deoxynivalenol, a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum. The Canadian Grain Commission will continue this research in eastern Canada to determine if further changes are warranted.

Pulse crops – beans, chick peas, fababeans, lentils, peas

Effective July 1, 2006, a new reference moisture procedure for all pulse crops will be introduced:

• Pea Beans, Canada
• Beans, Canada Cranberry, Blackeye, or Yelloweye
• Beans, other than Canada Cranberry, Blackeye, Yelloweye or Pea Beans
• Chick Peas, Canada Western Kabuli
• Chick Peas, Canada Western Desi
• Fababeans, Canada
• Lentils, Canada
• Lentils, Canada, other than Red (CAN)
• Peas, Canada Green (CAN)
• Peas, Canada, other than Green (CAN)

The change in the reference procedure is applicable to all pulse crops. It will not have a noticeable effect on moisture readings for peas, chick peas, pea beans or lentils. It will, however, result in higher moisture readings for coloured beans, with the change in moisture content ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 percent depending on the class of bean being tested. The Canadian Grain Commission will issue new moisture conversion tables for the affected bean classes as sufficient information becomes available.

Soybeans, Canada (CAN)

The following grading changes to Canada soybeans will be effective on July 1, 2006:

• Remove seed size as a grading factor.

Uniformity of seed size is currently included in the definition for degree of soundness. The ESC recommended the change because seed size is more of a market specification that varies by customer. The Canadian Grain Commission will provide an analysis of seed size at the request of marketers.

• Change the description of green in the definition of immature.

According to the current definition, immature, damaged soybeans are characterized by a green exterior appearance in conjunction with any green discolouration of the cotyledon. Examination of the cotyledons is determined by cutting the soybeans into cross sections. For grading purposes, immature, damaged soybeans are considered as part of the total damage grade specification.

According to the proposed description, the sample will not be regarded as damaged if the green is restricted to the outer edge of the seed. If green penetrates into the cotyledon, the sample will be regarded as damaged.

• Widen the tolerance for downy mildew for Soybeans, No. 1 Canada Yellow from 1.0 percent to 2.0 percent.

Downy mildew is a superficial coating of downy or powdery fungal growth. An individual soybean is considered affected only if the fungal growth covers 50 percent or more of the surface area of the soybean. The ESC decided that the change would not negatively affect the end-use quality or marketability of soybeans and that it would benefit grain producers.

Standard sample

The ESC recommended the following standard sample effective on July 1, 2006.

• Soybean, No. 1 Canada Yellow