DATA SUPPORT
BY ELLEN PRUDEN • PHOTO COURTESY OF CEREALS CANADA
A lot goes into growing the best crops for the world. Canadian wheat production starts with a commitment to quality, the latest technology and generations of know-how. Farmers throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba sustainably grow CPSR, CWAD and CWRS wheat that is the pride of the Prairies. They begin by choosing the best seed and apply science and experience to every stage of growth, which helps ensure these crops meet the world’s expectations for quality and consistency, year after year.
Communication with international markets about high-quality Canadian wheat is the job of Cereals Canada experts who mill, analyze, bake and assess the crop. The annual harvest assessments they conduct give the team a deep understanding of the quality and functionality of a new crop, said Dean Dias, Cereals Canada CEO. With this information in hand, one of the team’s most important tasks is to compile and release the New Wheat Crop Report. “In the 2024/25 crop year, Canada is expected to export 25.7 million tonnes of wheat to more than 80 countries, making us the third-largest exporter and the top exporter of high-quality and high-protein wheat for the second year in a row,” said Dias. “Canada has long been regarded as the top exporter of high-quality, high-protein wheat, and we know from our analysis that this year’s crop will continue to meet the expectations of our domestic and global customers.”
Data for the New Wheat Crop Report is produced in a collaborative effort with industry partners. More than 115 samples across various wheat classes are gathered from Cereals Canada collaborators. These eight exporters from across Western Canada also provide weekly updates as they observe grain delivery at local elevators. The samples are combined to form wheat class composites. Seven in total are created and are then graded by the Canadian Grain Commission. The composites for No. 1 CWRS are divided regionally to accurately represent growing areas and reflect transportation logistics while the remaining composites reflect the Prairie growing region as a whole.
As soon as combines start to roll across the Prairies, the Cereals Canada team begins weekly calls with each of its collaborators to discuss harvest progress, regional weather delays as well as potential yield and downgrading factors. “Our objective is to ensure all composites we prepare accurately reflect the export quality of each crop year,” said Elaine Sopiwnyk, Cereals Canada vice-president of technical services.
At the organization’s downtown Winnipeg headquarters, the Cereals Canada team spends several weeks analyzing the wheat using globally recognized methods developed by grain science institutions such as the Cereals & Grains Association. This work is conducted in six technical areas that include various food product labs as well as pilot milling and baking facilities.
In 2024, as it does each year, the team conducted extensive quality assessments on the composites, including evaluations of wheat and milling quality, flour and semolina quality, end-product quality including baking, noodles and pasta processing and performance. For the CWRS No. 1 Western composites alone, 118 analyses were performed.
Results from the harvest assessments are then compiled for the New Crop Report. This includes data generated by the Cereals Canada team for CPSR, CWAD and CWRS. The Report also includes an Eastern Canada winter wheat assessment provided by Grain Farmers of Ontario and compares current results to those of the previous year. New for 2024, five-year averages for the Prairies and Ontario are also included.
“It’s about empowering both global and domestic customers with detailed information backed by our world-class technical support, enabling them to make informed decisions when purchasing Canadian wheat,” said Dias. “By ensuring buyers feel confident and well-informed, we build loyalty towards Canadian cereals, which is essential for the long-term success of our industry.”
Read the 2024 New Wheat Crop Report at cerealscanada.ca/2024-wheat-crop/.
Ellen Pruden is Cereals Canada vice-president of communications and value chain relations.
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