Maximize Your Canola Grade in this Challenging Year

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This year, it's especially important to understand the quality of canola in your bins, as well as the official processes for determining grade and dockage. Severe weather events in 2021 have affected crop quality and caused extensive variability within fields and between fields in the same region. The more you know about the quality of your stored grain, the better position you'll be in to effectively market the 2021 crop.

Canadian Canola Growers Association reached out to the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC)​ to find out the most common quality issues that canola farmers should be looking out for this harvest. The CGC said potential quality issues could include smaller canola seeds and lower oil content, both caused by July's hot, dry weather. Farmers who received August rains may see increased numbers of sprouted seeds.

Daryl Beswitherick, Program Manager, National Inspection Standards at CGC provides advice to help maximize your canola's value in these 2 videos:​

VIDEO: What are the top quality issues canola farmers should be looking out for this harvest?

• Small canola seeds. Observe how much is going through the sieve. Sound seed, regardless of size, should not be assessed as dockage and can still produce oil. If you observe many sound, smaller seeds being removed as dockage, request a smaller sieve be used to minimize loss. How dockage in canola is assessed.
• Sprouted seed. Sprouting is graded as Damage, and No. 1 canola can contain up to 5% damaged seeds. The seed coat must be ruptured in combination of a sprout or distinct swelling. Seeds with ruptured coats should be considered sound in the absence of other sprouted seeds.  Click here for helpful illustrations on grading factors.
• Lower oil content. Oil content is not an official grading factor, so it should not be considered in grade. Understand your contract specifications and know your canola's oil content before negotiating sales and delivering canola.

​Looking for a free, unofficial grade? Farmers have until October 29 to sign up for the CGC's Harvest Sample Program. Participating farmers receive an unofficial assessment including grade, dockage, chlorophyll (green seed) and protein, as well as oil content. Aggregate samples at the CGC are used to determine crop quality, assist with marketing, and further research grain quality and safety.

VIDEO: What is the value of the Harvest Sample Program to farmers?​