SWIFT CURRENT, Sask.-"Many farmer have heard
reports from neighbors that protein tests on the
same sample of wheat can vary widely from elevator
to elevator-up to 3% in some accounts. On a single
1500 bushel semi-load, an error of this magnitude
could cost a farmer over $1200," said NFU
Saskatchewan Coordinator Stewart Wells.
"I think that farmers will be shocked to learn that
there is no official program to test the accuracy of
protein testers. As a result, farmers may be losing
millions. The NFU is calling for regular inspection of
all grain company protein testers beginning
immediately," said Wells. He continued: "These
checks should be conducted by Canadian Grain
Commission (CGC) inspectors, the results should be
made public, and the Commission should shut the
elevator's doors until its protein tester is accurate."
If just one-tenth of protein testers consistently
under-stated protein by just one-half of one
percent, the cost to western farmers could be over
$10 million annually.
The NFU submitted a brief today to Minister of
Agriculture Vanclief on the CGC and its Program
and Governance changes. In that brief the NFU
warned that the CGC was failing to protect the
interests of farmers in the grain handling system. In
addition to failing to monitor protein testers, the
CGC is not checking elevator scales (this duty has
been assigned to measurement Canada but as a
result of cuts, many scales have not been checked
since 1995). "If CGC management had been
regulating the grain industry in the interests of
farmers, they should already be doing the spot
checks of protein testers and checking the accuracy
of scales," said Wells. The NFU brief conveyed
farmers' support for a strong and vigilant CGC and
urged the Minister to ensure that the CGC was
actively fulfilling its mandate.
Until the CGC can begin checking protein testers,
the NFU suggests that farmers take the following
steps:
Take a sample from one of your bins, and pay the
CGC to do a protein test.
Take this same sample to the elevator every time
you deliver a load, and use your sample to
"calibrate" the elevator tester.
reports from neighbors that protein tests on the
same sample of wheat can vary widely from elevator
to elevator-up to 3% in some accounts. On a single
1500 bushel semi-load, an error of this magnitude
could cost a farmer over $1200," said NFU
Saskatchewan Coordinator Stewart Wells.
"I think that farmers will be shocked to learn that
there is no official program to test the accuracy of
protein testers. As a result, farmers may be losing
millions. The NFU is calling for regular inspection of
all grain company protein testers beginning
immediately," said Wells. He continued: "These
checks should be conducted by Canadian Grain
Commission (CGC) inspectors, the results should be
made public, and the Commission should shut the
elevator's doors until its protein tester is accurate."
If just one-tenth of protein testers consistently
under-stated protein by just one-half of one
percent, the cost to western farmers could be over
$10 million annually.
The NFU submitted a brief today to Minister of
Agriculture Vanclief on the CGC and its Program
and Governance changes. In that brief the NFU
warned that the CGC was failing to protect the
interests of farmers in the grain handling system. In
addition to failing to monitor protein testers, the
CGC is not checking elevator scales (this duty has
been assigned to measurement Canada but as a
result of cuts, many scales have not been checked
since 1995). "If CGC management had been
regulating the grain industry in the interests of
farmers, they should already be doing the spot
checks of protein testers and checking the accuracy
of scales," said Wells. The NFU brief conveyed
farmers' support for a strong and vigilant CGC and
urged the Minister to ensure that the CGC was
actively fulfilling its mandate.
Until the CGC can begin checking protein testers,
the NFU suggests that farmers take the following
steps:
Take a sample from one of your bins, and pay the
CGC to do a protein test.
Take this same sample to the elevator every time
you deliver a load, and use your sample to
"calibrate" the elevator tester.
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