Prairie wheat growers are more likely to come out winners when they challenge protein assignments, thanks to a new rule brought in by the Canadian Grain Commission.
The commission has tightened the allowable margin of error during re-inspection of protein content to greater than plus or minus 0.2 percentage points for the five major classes of wheat.
Previously, the official protein level would be adjusted only if it was outside a margin of error greater than plus or minus 0.4 percentage points.
For example, assume a load of wheat is graded at the elevator as 13.4 percent protein.
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Under the new rules, if a subsequent re-inspection by the commission shows it to be 13.7 percent, then the official grade would be changed accordingly.
Previously, the re-inspection would have had to show a protein content greater than 13.8 percent for the official rating to be changed.
“The producer is more likely to get a change now,” said CGC inspection official Louise Sartorio. “In this day and age, every tenth of a percent makes a difference to the bottom dollar.”
The Canada Grain Act gives farmers the right to ask for a binding decision from the CGC if they disagree with a grade and dockage, including protein, that is assigned at a country elevator. The CGC’s decision is binding.
The commission was able to implement the tighter margin of error thanks to a new calibration system for protein testers, which means protein testing equipment is now capable of achieving the same result, whether the wheat is tested at an elevator or in a CGC laboratory.
Wade Sobkowich of the Western Grain Elevator Association said grain handling companies have no problem with the tighter rules.
“It will have minimal impact on us,” he said.
Last crop year 484 cars were called for protein re-inspection by the commission and the protein level was changed in 75 of them, using the old standard.
If the new tighter standard had been in place, he said, 92 cars would have been changed.
Another five cars were re-inspected under the act’s “subject to grade and dockage” provision, five cars were re-inspected and none were changed.
The new standards apply to Canada Western red spring, CW red winter, CW extra strong, CW hard white spring and CW amber durum shipped to transfer or terminal elevators and delivered by producers to primary elevators.
