Flaxseed and Canaryseed Grade Updates

Summary#

These final rules, titled Regulations Amending the Canada Grain Regulations: SOR/2021-92, change how some grain grades are written into the official grading tables. They update the flaxseed grade tables and add a new official grade table for canaryseed. The main timing in the rules is July 1, 2021 (for one provision) and August 1, 2021 (for the rest).

What it does#

• Replaces the official flaxseed grading tables:
  • Replaces Table 12 (Flaxseed, Canada Western) and Table 50 (Flaxseed, Canada Eastern) in the Canada Grain Regulations.
  • Clarifies that only registered flax varieties are eligible for the highest statutory grain grades. The tables now show grade names, cleanliness limits, and test-weight standards rather than listing variety names.
  • Key test weights in the new tables: No. 1 grade 65 kg/hL, No. 2 grade 62 kg/hL, and No. 3 has no minimum test weight listed.
• Adds a new grade table for canaryseed:
  • Inserts Table 62 (Canaryseed, Canada) with official grade and limits for items such as fireburnt, heated/binburnt, ergot, excreta, and inert material.
  • Key limits in that table include: fireburnt 0.0%, heated/binburnt 1.0%, ergot 0.04%, excreta 0.01%, inert material 0.2%, total 1.0%.
• Timing:
  • One specific provision (section 2) is set to come into force on July 1, 2021.
  • The remainder is set to come into force on August 1, 2021 (or on the day of registration if registered later).

Who's affected#

• Grain producers and handlers working with flaxseed and canaryseed.
• Grain elevators, buyers, exporters and third‑party inspection companies that use official Canadian grades to buy, sell, store or ship these seeds.
• Canadian Grain Commission (the regulator carrying out grading and related programs).
• Canaryseed producers gain formal recognition; the government consulted groups such as the Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan in preparing the canaryseed table.

If it’s unclear who will notice the change in any specific market niche, that is because the revisions are mainly technical updates to official grading rules.

Why it matters#

• For canaryseed growers: being added to the official grade list gives them a formal Canadian grade and access to services and programs from the Canadian Grain Commission, including eligibility for compensation under the CGC’s Safeguards program and official grading and quality assurance services.
• For flaxseed buyers and exporters: clarifying that only registered varieties qualify for top grades reduces confusion about variety-related quality problems and helps protect end‑users who rely on Canadian grade claims.
• For the market generally: updated and clearer grade tables help buyers, sellers and inspectors agree on quality at point of sale, which supports trade and reduces disputes.