Harvest Sample Program: About the program
Important dates
- November 30
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Mail your samples by this date.
- December 31
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We won’t inspect or analyze samples received after this date.
- April 1
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Last day to get your results online. After this date, you’ll have to contact us by phone or email.
The Harvest Sample Program is a voluntary program that benefits Canadian grain producers and the entire grain value chain.
When you sign up, you’ll receive a Harvest Sample kit annually that contains envelopes for sending in samples of your crop at no extra cost to you. For each sample, our inspectors provide unofficial grade and quality results at no charge, including:
- Falling Number for wheat and rye
- Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol or DON) levels for wheat, corn, barley and oats
- Dockage assessment on canola and mustard seed
- Protein content on barley, beans, chickpeas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
- Oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
- Oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
- Oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
Quality results provided through the Harvest Sample Program are unofficial because samples aren’t collected by a Canadian Grain Commission inspector.
Benefits to the Canadian grain sector
Even if you have a good idea of your grain’s grade, send in your samples as soon as your harvest is complete.
Your samples are crucial to help with marketing Canadian grain, evaluating grain grading standards, and conducting research that benefits the entire Canadian grain sector.
Marketing Canadian grain
We publish grain harvest quality reports based on scientific analyses of your harvest samples. The quality and safety data generated from your samples helps marketers promote domestic and international sales of Canadian grain.
Evaluating grain grading standards
We use your harvest samples to conduct research on grading factors to ensure the grading factor tolerances reflect their impact on end-use functionality. This research helps us make sure grading factors continue to reflect processing needs and protect the Canada’s reputation as a reliable source of high-quality grain. Your samples also help us determine the standard samples that will be used to grade grain for that year.
Scientific research
Our Grain Research Laboratory uses your samples in scientific research projects to mitigate grain quality and grain safety issues, and to help support the creation of new markets for your crops. We also use your samples to develop new scientific methods for sampling and analyzing grain that are more precise and efficient.