It might be a new year, and might feel like a reset, but the pandemic is still an issue that is impacting many segments of our economy, and the grain industry is no exception.
Joining Shaun Haney for a discussion on the Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) priorities for the next year is Doug Chorney, newly appointed chief commissioner.
One of many disruptions caused by the pandemic is the review to the Canadian Grains Act, which is on the minds of many grain groups. Chorney can’t comment on the timeline of when the grain act review will be completed, but “Agriculture Canada will be the lead in that process, and we do know there was a pause at the beginning of the pandemic, but there’s a good probability that we’ll see this restarted.”
The CGC isn’t standing still however, says Chorney; they’re continuing to look at the current act, and what can be improved or changed. One example is including canaryseed designated as an official grain, and the process has been moved along. The western and eastern standards committee have supported the process. By August of this year, security protection for producers delivering canaryseed and a grading template applied to canaryseed could be in place.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will be providing the timeline for the grain act’s review, and Chorney says the CGC hasn’t received any direction on it, thus far.
Modernizing the grading guide and looking at changes that will make that system more efficient is also a priority for the CGC during the review.
Farmers can expect to hear more about the subject to inspector’s grade and dockage provisions, and how they’ll be better applied or adopted in practice.
“That is a point for dispute resolution that producers have been using for many years, but the whole nature of how grain is sold and how producers deliver it has changed, as high through-put elevators dominate the handling system, and custom hauling is the case for many producers,” says Chorney.
Listen in to the full conversation below for more on the falling number issue, and moving towards characteristic based grading:
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