The Canadian Grain Commission is reclassifying 29 wheat varieties starting August 1, 2018.

Chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission, Kevin Bender, said they will be moving varieties of Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheat into a lower class.

"They claimed that the gluten strength on those varieties wasn't quite up to where it should've been for those classes of wheat, so they created a new class that they are putting those into called the Canada Northern Hard Red class."

Bender said, some of the more popular CWRS varieties making the switch to the Canada Northern Hard Red Class are Harvest, Lillian and Unity, and a popular CPSR variety being reclassified is Foremost.

This change was announced back in February of 2015, and many producers have been preparing for the reclassification.

However, according to the Grain Commission's 2017 Grain Varieties by Acreage Insured Report, over 491,000 acres of wheat varieties making the switch to the new Canada Northern Hard Red class were grown in Western Canada last year.

The Alberta Wheat Commission is encouraging grain farmers growing these varieties to contact their elevator or grain buyer before the new crop year.

"Work out some kind of arrangement with the grain companies, either to have them delivered and sold before August 1st, or if that deliver doesn't happen, that they arrange some kind of an agreement that they can still sell it in the CWRS class," said Bender. "Or otherwise it's destined to be sold at a discount."

To view the full list of the 29 wheat varieties being reclassified, you can visit the Canadian Grain Commission's website.

 

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