Standard samples for a grade of grain

What are standard samples?

A standard sample is a sample of grain that represents the minimum visual quality for a grade of grain. At the Canadian Grain Commission, standard samples are often referred to as "standards."

The Eastern and Western standards committees meet each fall to review standard samples prepared by the Canadian Grain Commission for that crop year. The standards committees recommend the standard samples, and the Canadian Grain Commission then designates the standard samples for the crop year.

Are standard samples different every year?

Standard samples may change slightly each year.

Standard samples take into account specific grading factors that are influenced by environmental growing conditions. These grading factors are grouped under the heading "Degree of soundness" in the Official Grain Grading Guide and include frost, mildew, and green or immature.

Grading factors indicate processing quality. Processing quality varies with the degree of damage to the kernel. Because the damage to each kernel varies within a sample, the total damage must be assessed visually on an overall basis. Standard samples provide a visual definition of the maximum overall damage permitted in each grade.

Standard samples may change slightly each year to reflect the specific environmental conditions of the growing year. For example, when frost damage is predominant during the harvest and mildew damage is minor, a standard sample may have more frost-damaged kernels and fewer mildew-damaged kernels. If mildew damage is predominant during the harvest, Canadian Grain Commission inspectors may include more mildew-damaged kernels and fewer frost-damaged kernels in the standard sample. Either way, the grade does not change.

Slight variations in the content of frost and mildew are not significant enough to affect the predicted processing quality of the grade. They are, however, enough to include more of the grain damaged by the environment in the higher, more valuable grades.

Adjusting standard samples to reflect environmental conditions for each year maximizes the value of the grain produced while ensuring that end-use quality is consistent from year to year and meets customer expectations.