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Post-CWB, farmers have the
opportunity to truly saturate themselves
with the vagaries and quirks of grain
grading, said Woodbeck.
“You are now the marketer,” he said.
“It’s your responsibility to know your
production—certainly protein, grade and
moisture content. Dockage may vary.
And you can also find out if your grain
is a good, fair or poor representative of
whatever it grades. That gives you more
information about its blending capacity.
“The single most important factor
in grading grain is the sample,” he
added. “The best inspectors and the
best equipment can be used to grade
the sample, but if the sample is not
representative of the bin, then it’s all
useless.”
Woodbeck advised sampling every
truck, understanding what is going
into the bin, and knowing the inherent
variability that exists in the grain in
every bin.
“Variability is always part and parcel
of inspecting grain,” he said. “The
problems generally arise at the break line
for a grading factor.
“I encourage farmers and producer
groups to really understand our system
of grain inspection, as well as that in
the U.S.,” he explained. “Both are
science-based, but both are also very
different, using different protocols and
methodology to measure the same
factors, like protein, moisture content
and test weight. The two systems are like
comparing apples and oranges.”
Winter
2015
grainswest.com
29
“Grain inspection is an
art, as well as a science,
and it’s only with years
of experience that an
inspector gains enough
knowledge and exposure
to become really
confident.”
–Norm Woodbeck
In the U.S.
, the system is regulated by the USDA Grain Inspection, Packers
and Stockyards Agency (GIPSA). Its powers are granted through the U.S.
Grain Standards Act
and the
Agricultural Marketing Act
of 1946. The
Canadian and U.S. systems are similar in that they use defined grades to
describe grain quality. They differ in that Canada chooses to describe
many more grades and specifications than does the U.S. In comparison,
the U.S. relies on contract specifications to reduce the number of grades
required while still ensuring customers get what they want. Another
difference is that only Canadian-grown grains can receive an official
Canadian grade any higher than a feed grade, whereas the U.S. will grade
grain regardless of origin.
In Australia
, a system has evolved that is dependent on variety
declarations first and foremost, and then on various physical quality
specifications outlined in the grade standards. The system is reviewed
and published annually by Grain Trade Australia (GTA) with input from its
standards committee. Like those of Canada and the U.S., Australian grade
standards are developed to facilitate trade. This includes the ability to meet
importing country regulations and international protocols, such as those of
the Cartagena and Codex Alimentarius Commission, as well as recognizing
the ability of the handling system to segregate grain. Unlike in Canada and
the U.S., however, GTA is non-political and is industry driven and managed.
In the United Kingdom
, there is no comparable system to those in
Canada or the U.S.
“Generally, all trades in the U.K. are done on specification,” explained
Bob Beard, purchasing director at Warburton Group, the mammoth English
baking company that sources wheat fromWestern Canada. “Specifications
are set by the customer for end-use demand, be that a ‘class’ of wheat, a
variety or a particular protein specification.”
In the U.K., Group 1 comprises the higher-quality, bread-making wheats
that consistently meet milling and baking performance requirements.
Group 2 varieties are still used for bread-making, but have slightly more
inconsistencies than wheat found in Group 1. Group 3 wheats, or soft
wheats, are typically used for cookies and crackers. Lastly, group 4 is almost
exclusively reserved for feed. The U.K. also uses two ratings to describe
quality of wheat for export: “ukp” and “uks,” which closely mirror the typical
specifications for Group 1 and Group 2 wheat, respectively.
The system is maintained by the Home-Grown Cereals Authority
(HGCA), which, in turn, is a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture
Development Board, a statutory levy board funded by farmers and others
in the supply chain. The HGCA is managed independently of both the
commercial industry and government.