Quality of western Canadian canola 2021

Harvest Sample Program samples and grade distribution

This report of quality data for the 2021 harvest is based on the analyses of 1,979 individual samples. Composites of Canola, No.1 Canada were made from samples from each crop district and from each province. Specialty oil samples, such as high oleic acid, low α-linolenic acid and high erucic acid, are excluded from this report. In 2021, we received 245 less samples than in 2020 which is only 111 less than the 5-year average (Table 1). Crop district composites of Canola, No.1 Canada samples were prepared using 1,969 samples.

Canola samples for the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program were collected from producers, crushing plants and grain handling offices across western Canada. The samples were cleaned to remove dockage prior to grading and testing. Canadian Grain Commission grain inspectors assigned grade level based on Chapter 10 of the Official Grain Grading Guide for canola and rapeseed.

Individual harvest samples were analyzed for oil, protein, chlorophyll and total glucosinolates using a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. This report is based on the analyses, by reference methods, of composite samples made of the same grade canola by crop district and province. Composites were prepared by combining:

• Canola, No. 1 Canada samples by provincial crop district
• Canola, No. 2 and Canola, No. 3 Canada samples by province
• Canola Sample Canada samples prepared for western Canada

Oil, protein and total seed glucosinolate content are reported on an 8.5% moisture basis. Meal protein content is reported at 12% moisture, whereas total meal glucosinolate content is reported at 8.5% moisture.

Crop district canola quality data for Manitoba and Alberta and census agricultural region quality data for Saskatchewan can be acquired through the Canadian Grain Commission. Canola variety data is also published yearly.

Exports of commercially clean (CC) canola from August 2021 to December 2021 contained an average dockage of 1.65%, ranging from 0.73% to 2.5%. This negatively affects quality factors such as oil content, chlorophyll and free fatty acids. Canola exports containing more than 2.5% dockage are considered not commercially clean (NCC) and the values of their quality parameters are usually further reduced.

Figure 8  Number of canola samples received by the Harvest Sample Program and their grade distribution from 2011 to 2021

In 2021, 90.6% of the harvest samples were graded Canola, No. 1 Canada. This is comparable to what was obtained in 2020 (90.5%) and 2.5% higher than the 5-year average (Figure 8). The grade distribution of the 2021 canola crop varied greatly between provinces and between crop districts within a province. Distinctly green (DGR) seed count, sprouting and admixture were the main degrading factors observed in the 2021 canola crop. The level of DGR seed was 0.6% (0.4% in 2020) for Canola, No. 1 Canada, 2.7% (3.2% in 2020) for Canola, No. 2 Canada, 7.1% (9.4% in 2020) for Canola, No. 3 Canada and 3.7% (6.0% in 2020) for Sample grade. In 2021, 85.1% of the samples graded Canola, No. 1 Canada showed sprouting; with levels ranging from 0.1% to 4.7%. Rain at the end of August and early September, during harvest, may be responsible for this. In addition, observations of seed sprouting in the pod, due to heat stress, were reported by Canola Watch in August 2021.

Quality of western Canadian canola 2021

Tables 2 and 3 contain detailed information on the quality of western Canadian canola harvested in 2021, while Table 4 compares the quality of harvest samples to recent canola exports. It is important to note that the numbers of samples in each grade or province may not be representative of the total production or grade distribution. However, there were sufficient samples to provide good quality information for each province and grade. Provincial and western Canadian averages were calculated using the quality results for each crop district or CAR, weighted with the production data (5-year average) and the grade percentile per crop district or CAR.

All oil and protein content values presented below use the Canadian Grain Commission’s historical 8.5% moisture basis to permit annual and regional comparisons. Protein content of oil-free meal is reported on 12% moisture, while the glucosinolate content of oil-free meal is reported on a dry basis to reflect meal-trading rules established by the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association (COPA).