CGC at it again

[dave4441]

You are 100 percent correct JD, I see the issue as the same and you are correct it is within the last few days. We need CGC to prove or disprove the concern as soon as possible. problem is distance to Winnipeg. They are saying there is no change so they have to show it now because the trade is very confused. Does you last name start with a W, JD?

[dave4441]

wmoebis-do you have understanding of the green lentil color range of a #2 large green? You can drive a truck thru that color spec. What i beleive is the new #2 color you can not drive a knife thru it. It is very tight and reds are mainly split.

Some #1 is sold but is very limited. There is some countries that will buy a #1 higher quality for whole seed consumption, ie it is not split. They pay for that extra value. #2 grade is used for splitting, but lower quality X3 or #3 is also in demand based on pure economics. In the past we have sold a #2 because that is what we grow.

[wmoebis]

Like I said if there is new CGC standards out there as of last week, NO I have not seen them.

And YES I might have a little understanding of how to read standards and colour guides.

[JDGreen]

wmoebis apparently you don't grow them so you are lost in this discussion. Who makes the decision based on the color spectrum?? I would doubt that anyone in the cgc even understands that there is some color variation amongst the varieties including mottling, dark skins, natural shading etc. I wont name the companies until next week pending the final settlements. However it was beyond comical watching company graders look at little envelopes full of red lentils trying to determine which one matched color wise with the delivered product. Once again i can take a dozen different shades of red lentils this year and put them thru my home futball test and they are all hulled equally. They are all also the distinct orange color the buyers prefer. So what really is the problem then?? As Jeff Jackson states in the Grainnews this week, "color is of very little importance".. Perhaps the damage guidelines need changing, but in the mean time our foreign customers are licking their chops whilst they have us all at the mercy of the CGC. This is a screw job and I and others do not see it any other way. Perhaps you can tell me what a reasonable discount for a so call good natural colored red lentil vs a fair color red lentil should be?? (same total damage in each lot of under 2%) Would 12 cents a pound (7.20/bushel) sound reasonable ??? Understand yet why im slightly pissed off?

[wmoebis]

Sorry, I thought the discussion was about grading and standards not growing. Guess I am lost. That explains why the proper usage of standards by a qualified grader would seem comical.

I'll back on out of here then and not interupt you red lentil growers.

[mcfarms]

JD
Have you talked to either of the 2 producer reps on the standards commitee? I see the Alberta position is empty it may be prudent to talk to them as the fall meetings are usually just before halloween. I know this may not help you in your current situation but it is important that they are engaged and aware of issues that are occuring if there is a problem with the system they are likey the best ones to really go after if they are truely engaged in doing their job on the commitee. Without knowing them I cannot speculate but it seems like you can make a very good argument and yes you may be able to affect change.

[TOM4CWB]

JDGreen,

I know for a FACT greens are graded using special CGC colour PICTURES that are the standard for the grades for colour...

"Colour (CLR)
Colour is evaluated after the removal of stained and damaged lentils, using approved lentil colour guides."
http://www.grainscanada.gc.ca/oggg-gocg/18/oggg-gocg-18d-eng.htm#c



Are you saying the CGC has changed those approved grading pictures in the past couple of days?

If they have... why are these changes not on the official CGC web site that designates these changes?

[mcfarms]

Tom
other countries are using color meters for grading why not canada?
Using visual grading is still subjective as we all see color differently.
http://www.aaccnet.org/cerealchemistry/articles/1998/0108-03R.pdf

[JDGreen]

tom you are correct on greens. This is only an issue with reds at the moment. I witnessed very qualified staff leave work early on friday as a result of the stressful situation encountered. Employes, growers, companies should not be subjected to these types of losses EVER. What has NEVER been an issue before is now front and centre. I will be speaking with producer reps on Monday. Wmoebis your sarcasm is duly noted and i will mark it on my score card.

[poorboy]

The bigger issue here is that the CGC has stopped inspecting at the inland terminals and only grades at the coast. This has added 2 weeks delay to flow of information back to the elevator on grades.

Used to be in the local elevator, that a rail car was loaded up into an outload bin and a sample caught, which the CGC looked at. If if met grade it was put in the train car. If not the elevator could put it back into the house and reblend or send out new grain to get graded.

The elevator graders very quickly learned what they needed to meet the specs from the CGC.

Now you load the cars, send to coast and see what they grade. Do it all again a few times, and it takes a month or more before the elevator grain buyers have a good understanding of grade.

Lose a few cars to downgrading at the coast and most elevator graders are going to start to be very cautious.

Farmer grades would be better if the CGC was to start grading again at inland elevators. With more risk of grade loss at the coast, it means more farmers grain is bought a poorer grade to cover the risk.