Standard samples: A tool for grain grading

What are standard samples?

Standard samples are grading tools used by grain inspectors. Standard samples are grain samples. They represent specific grading factors that are influenced by environmental growing conditions and are assessed visually. These visual grading factors are grouped under the heading "Degree of soundness" in the Official Grain Grading Guide. They include:

• Mildew
• Frost or heat stress
• Green or immature

Standard samples can be made for a number of grades of grain, although they are most commonly used when grading wheat. The Canadian Grain Commission provides standard samples to our inspectors and grain companies.

How do grain inspectors use standard samples?

A standard sample is a visual definition of the degree of soundness needed to meet a specific grade of grain. Grain inspectors use standard samples to determine the degree of soundness of a sample of grain.

The Official Grain Grading Guide defines degree of soundness. Because this is a subjective evaluation, different grain inspectors may interpret the definition differently. When unsure about the degree of soundness of a sample of grain, an inspector can compare the grain sample to a standard sample.

Example of degree of soundness

This grade table is taken from our Official Grain Grading Guide. It shows the degree of soundness in different grades of Wheat, Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS).

Grade Name	Degree of soundess
No. 1 CWRS	Reasonably well matured, reasonably free from damaged kernels
No. 2 CWRS	Fairly well matured, may be moderately bleached or frost-damaged, reasonably free from severely damaged kernels
No. 3 CWRS	May be severely frost-damaged, immature or weather-damaged, moderately free from other severely damaged kernels
No. 4 CWRS	Reasonably sweet, excluded from other grades of wheat on account of damaged kernels

When are standard samples made?

The Canadian Grain Commission's experts make standard samples as necessary each crop year. If last year's standard sample still accurately reflects the degree of soundness for a specific grade of grain, it will be used again for the current crop year.

Because weather conditions may vary at harvest, the main quality factor affecting the degree of soundness may change too. That's why we must be able to adjust standard samples each year. Frost at harvest can result in frost damage in grain, while wet weather can result in mildew.

How are standard samples made?

Each year, we follow the same process to make standard samples.

Step 1

Grain companies and producers send us grain samples at the beginning of the crop year. Our grain inspectors examine these samples to understand what the main visual grading factor is and to determine the overall quality of the crop. Our scientists conduct end-use quality studies to understand the processing quality of the grain samples.

Step 2

Based on their findings, our inspectors select material from the grain samples to create standard samples. They create samples for each grade of grain as is necessary.

Step 3

Western and Eastern standards committees review the standard samples. Committee members are a mix of producers, processors and government representatives. The committees make sure the standard samples are relevant to all sectors of Canada's grain industry.

Step 4

The committees recommend the samples for use.

Step 5

We distribute recommended samples to the grain industry. Grain company employees and our inspectors can now use them as grading tools.

Contact

Contact the service centre nearest to you.

Definitions

Grading factor

A grading factor is a physical condition of grain, the result of growing conditions, handling procedures or storage practices. It is a visual characteristic that indicates a reduction in quality, for example, frost damage, sprouted kernels, or heated kernels.

Soundness

Soundness refers to overall visual grain quality. Sound grain is reasonably well matures and reasonably free from kernels damaged by frost, mildew, bleaching or weather.

Standard sample

The Eastern and Western Standards Committees meet annually and recommend to the Canadian Grain Commission primary and export standard samples of grain for use in grading during that crop year.

Primary standard sample

A primary standard sample is prepared for most grades of grain and represents, as nearly as possible, the minimum quality of each grade, considering the predominant grading factors in the current crop. It is used as a visual guide to grade grain before and on delivery at terminal elevators, and on shipments from terminal elevators when no export standard sample is established for a grade.

Export standard sample

An export standard sample is created only for Canada Western grains. It is prepared for most grades of wheat and general purpose grades of barley and governs grading of shipments out of terminal, transfer, and process elevators. It is intended to ensure that the buyer receives grain that is reasonably close in quality to the average of the grade.

Minimum test weights, maximum limits of admixtures and grading factors in general are demonstrated in an export standard sample. However, overall quality is always considered. An export shipment may be assigned a certain grade although the shipment is slightly below the requirements in one factor, provided that in the judgment of the inspector it is sufficiently superior in other factors to be equal in overall quality to the export standard sample. Final decisions on the grade of such shipments are made only by senior officials of Canadian Grain Commission's Inspection Services.

Related information

• Eastern Standards Committee
• Official Grain Grading Guide
• Western Standards Committee