Recently there has been a public push by the Western Canadian Wheat Growers to change the Canadian varietal registration and grading system to allow American grown wheat full access into our export system. As usual, their simplistic approach ignores the economic pitfalls that Canadian farmers will face should this occur.
Canada’s grading system is unique in the world, with all of the wheat varieties that are accepted into our system assigned to a specific class that is based upon their characteristics. These characteristics include such things as protein content, and ensure uniformity within the class so that our customers are assured of a product that meets their end needs.
The Americans, however, simply accept any variety that is put forward, and it is up to customers to test each and every shipment to determine if it meets their specifications. As well, it is up to every farmer to decide if a variety meets both their own agronomic needs, and the end-use needs of potential customers.
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