Wheat grading

[Blaithin]

I think the frustrating thing for farmers are the grade variances between elevators. V calls it a 3 and 4. R calls it a 2 and 3. C buys it all for a 2.

But according to you and Blaithin. Nobody is trying to screw you.

Dockage here is .8% to 1.8%. 1% on $14 durum is .14.

There is a .40 to .50 drop from a 2 to a 3.

The graders aren’t trying to screw you.

Grading is/should be grading.

Buying is what’s different between elevators, mills, crush plants, etc.

I’ve never had a manager come to me and say call something a lower grade. However I’m always asked can we make a grain work as a better grade. If they offer the farm a deal as a higher grade to get the buy, can we make it fit in the specs we need to meet. With bin samples this is why they like to know tonnes. If it’s a tight paper blend we’ll even take representative amounts of each bin sample and mix it to see what we get.

I have worked at elevators where they tell you to plump up the dockage. Which is why I said pay attention to dockage more than grade. Splits is another one.

I’ve never worked at an elevator where the graders are privy to sales, prices, or deals. In no way are they trying to call a grade something lower to screw somebody. I can’t speak for what’s done with the information once it’s passed on to marketing, but typically what I’ve seen is an effort to make a deal. Other elevator graders could be trying to screw people, but it seems unlikely.

And yes, while improperly trained graders can lead to grade discrepancies, I’ve seen far more instances of farms getting a higher grade from this, than a harsher grade. Graders are more likely to miss something than pick something that isn’t there to downgrade.

[wmoebis]

Trust the grain graders, they have a 2 day course you don’t have…..

Some companies have way better training courses than others but there still needs to be a Universal/Certified apprenticeship type training. And yes I agree farmers should take a course also 2 days isn't enough tho.

[wmoebis]

Some companies have way better training courses than others but there still needs to be a Universal/Certified apprenticeship type training. And yes I agree farmers should take a course also 2 days isn't enough tho.

Years ago Alberta Wheat Pool, UGG and SWP (Farmer owned Grain Companies), all had a training course that were taught at Olds Collage and maybe others. When farmers decided to amalgamate and ultimately sell out to foreign companies that training was stopped and OLDS dropped the courses.

I have copies of all those courses and they were intensive training not just a couple days. So you can't blame the graders it wasn't them that stopped the training in fact the vast majority want to learn and be able to do it right and be good at it.

I don't think we understand the loss that doing away with inward inspection has had either. When CGC or 3rd party went onsite to grade cars so that port knew what was coming, the elevators could see first hand how to do it properly, they saw and were told when they missed something or were off on assessment that way they learnt from independent trained staff. I can't talk on 3rd party training but I do know that CGC inspectors have (had) good, intensive training and monitoring.

Know Your Grain!

[LEP]

Years ago Alberta Wheat Pool, UGG and SWP (Farmer owned Grain Companies), all had a training course that were taught at Olds Collage and maybe others. When farmers decided to amalgamate and ultimately sell out to foreign companies that training was stopped and OLDS dropped the courses.

I have copies of all those courses and they were intensive training not just a couple days. So you can't blame the graders it wasn't them that stopped the training in fact the vast majority want to learn and be able to do it right and be good at it.

I don't think we understand the loss that doing away with inward inspection has had either. When CGC or 3rd party went onsite to grade cars so that port knew what was coming, the elevators could see first hand how to do it properly, they saw and were told when they missed something or were off on assessment that way they learnt from independent trained staff. I can't talk on 3rd party training but I do know that CGC inspectors have (had) good, intensive training and monitoring.

Know Your Grain!

Everyone of the graders at the aforementioned companies have between 10 and 35 years experience. No newbies here.

I know from experience that SGS is far more well regarded internationally than CGC, in the special crop industry. Very inconsistent on lentil grading.

[wmoebis]

Dockage is what to be particular on if you’re concerned a company is stealing from you or a grade is wrong.

What is funny is, farmers or their representative will watch elevators weight the WRONG pans out of dockage tester, use the WRONG sieves and even write down the WRONG calculations and percentages but don't say a thing at the time, likely because they don't know the proper procedures or watch and check for accuracy or mistakes.

When they get different results there is a reason the % doesn't change the procedure has changed. If you do dockage assessment on the same sample it doesn't matter where it is done it will be the same result if you follow the prescribed manor each time.

It always made me smile when I would correct them doing something wrong they always came back OH! I must have made a mistake or Oh! I must have wrote it down wrong.

Know Your Grain also means Know how to Assess it properly. Food for thought!

[bucket]

What is funny is, farmers or their representative will watch elevators weight the WRONG pans out of dockage tester, use the WRONG sieves and even write down the WRONG calculations and percentages but don't say a thing at the time, likely because they don't know the proper procedures or watch and check for accuracy or mistakes.

When they get different results there is a reason the % doesn't change the procedure has changed. If you do dockage assessment on the same sample it doesn't matter where it is done it will be the same result if you follow the prescribed manor each time.

It always made me smile when I would correct them doing something wrong they always came back OH! I must have made a mistake or Oh! I must have wrote it down wrong.

Know Your Grain also means Know how to Assess it properly. Food for thought!

I watch them do some dockage tests during while I am hauling. I get a better idea of what I am doing wrong at certain times of the day or what has affected it. It helps me set the combine. If I think they are taking a little to much there are ways to even it out IYKYK.

[wmoebis]

I watch them do some dockage tests during while I am hauling. I get a better idea of what I am doing wrong at certain times of the day or what has affected it. It helps me set the combine. If I think they are taking a little to much there are ways to even it out IYKYK.

I remember once I was hauling Canola. I admit the dockage was very high, but I watched closely the grader do test and what the results were, Never said anything but when I went into the buyer office to get my check I said I would like to redo dockage, just so I could see what was all in it so I could maybe make changes to my combine or spray etc to try get it lower next year. Well he had grader redo it infront of us. To begin with he couldn't find 1% he said he must have wrote it down wrong then I told him he should use smaller slotted sieve he was taking too much broken, when he used proper sieve we lowered it another .5% so figure 1.5% on just one truck load now multiply that by your whole farm production.

Not sure if buyer gave grader issue after I left or not but sure got everyone in the building looking and listening, other farmers that were standing around and all the staff. LOL

[helmach]

Trust the grain graders, they have a 2 day course you don’t have…..

grain grading should become a standardized trade taught in trade schools, not a company wrote course based of the grading guidelines imo

[wmoebis]

grain grading should become a standardized trade taught in trade schools, not a company wrote course based of the grading guidelines imo

I looked into how does a job become a trade a few years ago, when all the changes were being made and even a bill to change the Grain Act was put forward but died on the table with the election.

It is really very simple if the desire is there. I talked to the collage they said no problem in fact Olds still has all the equipment as well as other AG and trade collages would get on board if the need was there.

The problem at that time was the collage said it has to be mandated by the gov't or the industry as it would have cost lots of $ to revamp the program, get it going with classrooms, instructors and maintain the course.

The gov't at that time said it had to be industry driven before they would consider it. However the grain company representatives I talked to, weren't very interested because they didn't want a bunch of journeyman graders that could use their knowledge and credentials to promote themselves and demand higher wages etc.
I went back to the Gov't representatives at that time and asked if Gov't and collages want it to be industry driven but elevators don't want it, where do you put farmers in the industry? If they want it would you mandate it? Their reply was Producers are only a supplier to the industry!

Even some of the producer group reps that collect check off $ and work for farmers weren't interested in getting behind it. That said, a couple of volunteer and self funded producer groups were supportive but other farm groups and gov't just put them down or ignored the idea. So that explains why it never got put on the table for discussion.

IF The gov't doesn't put farmers in the industry they are a supplier, not sure if this gov't has a different outlook or not.

I gave up at that time.

[Blaithin]

i see some of them ain't paying for 13.5 protein and higher ??

just deducting for heat stress and/or bleaching !

CROOKS !

You’re one of those pleasant farmers all elevator employees are happy to have a chat with aren’t you.

[Blaithin]

And your one of the those in the grading room I wouldn't waste time talking to !

That would be peaceful.

[Blaithin]

not too peaceful on the coffee/smoke break with all the chatter on how yous are going to cover your tracks !

I’m decently good at my job. Never had a reason to need to cover my tracks.