The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat) and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) are calling on the Canadian Grain Commission to reverse its decision to harmonize export and primary test weight and total foreign material tolerances in wheat.
Announced in June, the harmonization is set to take effect August 1, 2023, at the beginning of the new crop year.
Most western Canadian wheat classes will be impacted at delivery by the new heavier test weight standard (63.3 lb/bu) previously imposed on grain at port.
Brett Halstead, chair of Sask Wheat says that there hasn’t been enough time to accurately assess the financial impact this change could have on farmers. Halstead says that the approximately three-pound test weight difference of the new, harmonized standard could be significant enough to move a No. 1 graded wheat to feed.
Halstead adds that elevators have the ability to blend wheat to meet spec, but individual farmers do not. If a particular area gets hit with conditions that draw down test weight, those farmers would face downgrades, even though the grain may end up blended up before it is shipped out.
He adds that he’s unaware of any complaints by Canadian grain customers regarding grain shipments that didn’t meet the test weight standard.
“Sask Wheat has repeatedly asked the CGC to undertake an economic impact analysis, especially of the impact on producers. This needs to be completed and made public by the CGC before harmonization of these standards is considered again.”
Check out the full conversation, below:
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