The Canadian Grain Commission has announced that effective August 1, 2013, the following wheat varieties will be moved from the Canada Western Red Winter (CWRW) class to the Canada Western General Purpose (CWGP) class: CDC Kestrel, CDC Clair, CDC Harrier, CDC Falcon, and CDC Raptor.
“By reclassifying these varieties, we are making sure that the classification system meets the needs of Canadian grain producers,” said CGC chief commissioner Elwin Hermanson in a release.
The reclassification is in response to feedback from farmers and other industry stakeholders. It was felt that the CWRW class should reflect milling quality. Continuing to include varieties with high yield but low milling quality in the CWRW class affected the overall ability of this class to compete in global markets.
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In response to concerns about the consistency of quality in the CWRW class, the Canadian Wheat Board initially split the class into two categories: Select and Generic. Select varieties were those that had a minimum of 11 per cent protein and high milling quality. Generic varieties did not often meet the minimum protein requirement, but tended to be high yielding.
Effective August 1, 2013, all Generic varieties in the CWRW class will be moved to the CWGP class. All Select varieties will remain in the CWRW class.
In the interim, to help farmers and the grain industry manage the quality issues associated with CWRW varieties, the Canadian Grain Commission proposes to set a minimum grade specification of 11 per cent protein for No. 1 and No. 2 CWRW and create a No. 3 CWRW grade for deliveries with less than 11 per cent protein. It will also reduce fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK) tolerances.
