1. Issue

During deliberations on the development of Grain Trading Standards (Standards) for the 2023/24 season, industry feedback was received by GTA on the proposed changes for 2023/24, and potential changes for the following 2024/25 season.

The GTA Trading Standards Committee (Committee) has recently met to discuss industry feedback received and the potential Standards for 2024/25.

This document is provided for industry consideration and feedback.

2. Process for Industry Feedback

The Committee is seeking industry comment on the issues outlined in this document and on any other Standards related issue.

Submissions should be received by COB Friday 26th March 2024. Please lodge your submissions by sending to submissions@graintrade.org.au and title your email – Standards Review 2024/25.

Industry is encouraged to provide supporting evidence for any change proposed in Standards. Preference is for industry to use the proforma for lodging submissions located on the GTA website.

Unless marked “confidential” and appropriate supporting reasons are provided, all submissions will be placed on the GTA website for industry review.

3. Agreed Changes for Adoption in 2024/25

3.1 Agreed Change: Visual Recognition Standards Guide – All Commodities

A revised version was published for the 2023/24 season. At present, the Committee has decided that whilst further
major changes are not required, some minor amendments may add value. A decision on whether or not to publish a
revised version for 2024/25 has not been made as yet and industry will be advised in due course.

3.2 Agreed Change: Minor Wording Changes & Other Issues – Cereal & Pulse Commodities

Minor changes to wording in all relevant Standards charts and Standards booklets will occur. These changes will refer to the latest versions of reference material available to assist industry implementation of Standards, including:

• Visual Recognition Standards Guide for 2023/24 – all cereal and pulse commodities (except mung beans).
• As GTA now develops the Pulse Trading Standards (except mung beans) on behalf of industry, all references to Pulse Australia will be removed from the Pulse Standards and replaced with GTA. Note that the Committee will also review the Pulse Standards Booklet with the intention of revising the document (and included Standards by commodity and grade) and re-formatting all Pulse Standards quality charts as per cereals.
• The current links in the Standards to various Australian Government and industry websites and documents for use by industry on a range of issues such as maximum residue limits for chemicals and market quarantine requirements will be updated.
• The document entitled “Australian Grains Industry Post Harvest Chemical Usage Recommendations and Outturn Tolerances 2024/25” for all cereal commodities.

3.3 Agreed Change: Varietal Master List – Wheat, Barley, Oats

As in previous seasons, the Varietal Master List for the above commodities will be reviewed following receipt of the changes from the industry sector responsible for maintenance of those lists. All Standards will be revised based on those changes and advised to industry when the 2024/25 season Standards are released. In the interim, refer to the Trading Standards Booklets for each commodity to view the existing varietal classifications.

Note that GTA will place the list of varieties for all commodities (except mung beans) on the GTA website for industry reference.

3.4 Agreed Change: Bin Grade Cascade Rules for AWW – Wheat

Industry was advised of the introduction of the AWW Class, with subsequent grades of AWW1 and AWW2 in the 2023/24 season. The Bin Cascade Rules prevented any milling class grades from receival into the AWW1 and AWW2 grades.

The intention of the AWW Class was to create a Class of hard wheat that was of milling quality and able to compete with lower cost other origin wheat. While it is critical that AWW classified varieties are not received into the APH/AH/APW/ASW segregations to protect the existing elite milling classes, the blending of higher quality wheat classes into the AWW Class grades is not in conflict with the intent of AWW.

The Committee has agreed to alter the Bin Grade Classifications for 2024/25 to allow APH/AH/APW/ASW classified wheat varieties into the AWW1 and AWW2 grade. This will assist with segregations and to help build the critical mass of AWW grain required to establish the AWW brand in the marketplace.

The new Bin Grade Cascade Rules will be:

Class	Bin Grade Cascade
APH	APH1 / APH2 / H1 / H2 / APW1 / APW2 / ASW9 / ASW1 / AUH2 / AGP1 / HPS1 / AUW1 / AWW1 / AWW2 / SFW1 / FED1
AH	H1 / H2 / APW1 / APW2 / ASW9 / ASW1 / AUH2 / AGP1 / HPS1 / AUW1 / AWW1 / AWW2 / SFW1 / FED1 /
APW	APW1 / APW2 / ASW9 / ASW1 / AGP1 / HPS1 / AUW1 / AWW1 / AWW2 / SFW1 / FED1
ASW	ASW9 / ASW1 / AGP1 / HPS1 / AUW1 / AWW1 / AWW2 / SFW1 / FED1
AWW	AWW1 / AWW2 / SFW1 / FED1
AGP	AGP1 / HPS1 / AUW1 / AWW1 /AWW2 / SFW1 / FED1
ASF1 (SFE)	SFT1 (SFE1) / SFT2 (SFE2) / SGP1~ / SGP2~ / AUN1^ / SFW1 / FED1
ANW	ANW1 / ANW2 / AUN1^ / SFW1 / FED1
ASWS#	ASWS / AGP1 / AUW1 / SFW1 / FED1
ADR	DR1 / DR2 / DR3 / FED1
APWN	APWN and then as per APW unless otherwise indicated in the Masterlist
FEED**	SFW1 / FED1

3.5 Agreed Change: New ASW Grade – Wheat

Industry was advised in 2022 a submission was received seeking to create a new ASW milling grade with a minimum 9% protein. The Committee had discussed the submission at length and noted:

• No change would occur to the current ASW1 Grade, which has no minimum or maximum protein.
• The protein content of the Western Australian crop has been declining in recent seasons, with receival data showing a decline from 2008.
• The Committee questioned the decline in protein and the needs of the market. Generally, the human consumption milling market has no demand for ASW below 9% protein.
• The current ASW1 protein range of the delivered crop is broad, creating a very different quality profile depending on the protein content.
• It was agreed there needs to be discussion across industry to assist with understanding the market requirements.
• It could also be expected that growers who deliver higher protein ASW1 in the range of 9% – 10% may be missing out on higher returns if that grain was segregated rather than being commingled with ASW grain with a protein lower than 9%.

After discussion the Committee agreed to form an industry Working Group to discuss:

• The changes to the declining protein content of the WA crop.
• Consider the impact of the proposal on the entire Australian crop make-up.
• Consult with all relevant industry sectors more fully on the implications of any change, including the grower sector, BHCs in terms of segregations, payments and end-users including the human consumption and stockfeed sectors of industry.

Industry consultations occurred in Western Australia, following a trial of an ASW grade with a minimum protein of 9% in that State. Industry was advised that unless otherwise stated, this new grade would be introduced in 2024/25.

As there was no negative feedback from industry, the new ASW grade will apply in 2024/25. The specifications and Bin Cascade Rules for this new grade will be as follows:

• Grade Name – ASW9.
• Grade Code – CSG113.
• Specifications – as per ASW1 except a minimum protein of 9% applies.
• Bin Cascade Rules – as per ASW1. That is

Class	Bin Grade Cascade
ASW	ASW9 / ASW1 / AGP1 / HPS1 / AUW1 / AWW1 / AWW2 / SFW1 / FED1

3.6 Agreed Change: Gumnuts – All pulse commodities except Mung Beans

Industry was advised of an agreed change in tolerance for all cereal grains in 2023/24 as part of a review of the practicality of a Nil Tolerance in Standards and the intention to consider developing low level tolerances for some contaminants. A change in the nil tolerance for gumnuts for cereals was agreed, given:

• The impracticality of removing a low number of gumnuts from a load.
• The implications of rejection of a truckload of grain for the presence of one gumnut, which may be of any size.
• The ability of many processors to remove gumnuts from a load prior to processing.

That change for cereals was made for the 2023/24 season as follows:

• For all cereal commodities and grades, removing the current nil tolerance level for gumnuts only.
• A low-level tolerance for gumnuts only, of 1 gumnut/2.5L be included for all cereal commodities and grades, similar to that applying for Stones.
• The definition of a gumnut be “whole or pieces of any size and maturity level”.
• The current definition and nil tolerance of other Eucalyptus spp. plant material remains in all Standards.

For consistency across commodities, the Committee has agreed to implement the above change for all pulses. For all pulses for the 2024/25 season, the Committee has agreed to implement a tolerance of 1 gumnut/2kg for all Farmer Dressed Receival and Farmer Dressed Export Standards. There will be no change to the nil tolerance for all other Standards (i.e., Split, Machine Dressed).

3.7 Agreed Change: Lupin Screen – Angustifolius Lupins

Currently there is no requirement to use a screen during the assessment of Angustifolius lupins. Industry has sought inclusion of the use of a screen in the assessment process:

• Angustifolius is one of the few remaining pulse commodities where a screen is not referenced in the standards.
• For all other commodities a screen is used to assist determination of small, shrivelled pulses. In those standards, all pulse material being assessed, falling below the screen is considered defective. For Angustifolius lupins, the assessment of small, shrivelled grains must be done visually without any reference to a guide for size. Inclusion of a screen will assist in the determination of shrivelled.
• The definition would be as per many other pulses, being “any Angustifolius lupin seed material would be defective lupin seed material if it falls through the screen”.
• The Committee reviewed the industry proposal and considered that utilising an existing screen would be justified rather than reference a screen that is not used by industry. The Committee agreed to revise the proposed approach and to refer to the use of the 3.75mm slotted screen, as referenced in standards for faba beans and field peas.

Therefore for 2024/25, the Angustifolius lupin standards will reference the use of the 3.75mm slotted screen to determine the defective grains that are shrivelled, i.e.., that fall below the screen.

3.8 Agreed Change: New Grade – Desi Chickpeas

In recent seasons industry has implemented an off grade for desi chickpeas. This grade has been widely referenced in industry contracts based on the quality of grain that has been produced due to seasonal conditions. The marketplace has successfully bought and sold this grade, based on the agreed industry specifications for this off-grade.

Industry has sought creation of this grade as a formal GTA industry grade and the Committee has agreed to introduce the specifications as currently used by industry as follows for the 2024/25 season:

• The grade will cater for a higher level of defective grains than the existing No.2 grade, with the same level of Severely Damaged to allow for any mouldy grains.
• The grade will be called No.3.
• Two grades will be created as per the below table, being receival farmer dressed and export farmer dressed.
• The Physical Quality Parameters, Foreign Weed Seeds and Other Contaminants will be as per the existing No.1 and No.2 grades.
• Total Defectives will increase to 15% on receival, 20% on export for containers and 25% on export for bulk.
• Separate tolerances for Poor Colour and Fungal Affected are not required given the quality of this grade.
• The same Severely Damaged tolerances as per No.2 grade will be used.

4. Issues for Further Ongoing Consideration

4.1 Further Research: Vacuum Sampling of Road Trucks – All Commodities

The project to review the appropriateness of sampling systems on receival from road trucks has completed its initial phase. Based on initial findings, further research is required and will be progressed during 2024. Industry will be advised of findings in due course.

4.1.1 Further Review: Durum Classification

Industry has advised that the traditional identification method of durum varieties versus bread wheat varieties of “no fine hairs on the brush end of durum” no longer applies to some newer durum varieties Fine hairs have been detected on some durum varieties and this has made distinction between durum and bread wheats difficult.

The Committee agreed further consideration is required and will revise wording in the Standards for 2024/25 once a resolution has been reached.

4.2 Further Review: SFW1 – Wheat

Industry was advised in 2020 of a submission requesting a change in the tolerances for a range of defective grain types in the SFW1 grade. That submission in total was not supported and no changes to the tolerances occurred. Since that time, a further submission requesting changes to Field Fungi and Severely Damaged grains only was received.

The submission requested changes as follows:

• Field Fungi increase from 10/half litre to 20/half litre.
• Severely Damaged increase from 1 grain/half litre retained above the 2mm screen to 5 grains/half litre retained above the 2mm screen.

Discussion by the Committee on this topic included:

• The proposed change would be more reflective of tolerances for a stockfeed grade, rather than the current tolerances that reflect a milling wheat grade.
• While some feedback from the stockfeed sector has been received, both supportive and non-supportive, further consideration of impacts is required.
• Responses received have not supported a change to the Field Fungi tolerance. However, there may be some potential for further discussion on the Severely Damaged proposed change.
• Higher levels of Field Fungi and/or Severely Damaged may require mitigation of potential toxins present, using enzymes, mycotoxin binders etc.
• Animal performance may also be impacted.

The Committee continues consultation on the proposed changes with the stockfeed sector. Industry will be advised of the findings during 2024.