The Canadian Grain Commission’s plan for modernizing Canada’s wheat class system will move ahead with the implementation of 2 new classes and the elimination of 3 other classes in 2016, as well as variety designation changes in 2018.
The new wheat classes, Canada Northern Hard Red and Canada Western Special Purpose, will take effect on August 1, 2016. The Canada Western Interim Wheat, Canada Western General Purpose, and Canada Western Feed wheat classes will be eliminated on August 1, 2016.
Twenty-five varieties of Canada Western Red Spring and 4 varieties of Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat will move to the Canada Northern Hard Red class on August 1, 2018.
These steps reflect feedback from consultations in early 2015, followed by discussions with stakeholders on a proposed plan, as well as a scan of international markets conducted by Cereals Canada and the Canadian International Grains Institute. The Canadian Grain Commission carefully considered all feedback from breeders, variety owners, grain companies, producer groups, marketing organizations and end-use customers.
Quick facts
- The Canada Northern Hard Red class will:
- Have basic milling quality parameters
- Require quality data for varieties to be registered
- Be implemented on August 1, 2016
- On August 1, 2016, the Canada Western Interim Wheat class, which came into effect on August 1, 2015, will be eliminated. Faller, Prosper and Elgin ND will be designated to the Canada Northern Hard Red class.
- The Canada Western Special Purpose class will:
- Have no quality parameters and include registered varieties for which no quality data has been provided by the variety registrant
- Be implemented on August 1, 2016
- On August 1, 2016, all varieties in the Canada Western Feed and the Canada Western General Purpose wheat classes will be re-designated to the Canada Western Special Purpose class.
- The transition of 25 varieties of Canada Western Red Spring and 4 varieties of Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat to the Canada Northern Hard Red class will take place on August 1, 2018 instead of August 1, 2017, the date that was originally announced. The new date addresses stakeholder concerns about designating certain varieties to different classes before the value chain is adequately prepared.
- The 29 varieties are moving to the Canada Northern Hard Red class because they do not meet revised quality parameters for their designated classes.
