The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC)recently announced that 25 varieties in the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat class will be reclassified Aug. 1, 2017. 4 Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) varieties will also be reclassified and other varieties will also be subject to a review and potential reclassification ruling beginning next year.
According to the commission’s website, the CWRS varieties already scheduled for reclassification include AC Abbey, AC Cora, AC Estonia, AC Majestic, AC Michael, AC Minto, Alvena, Alikat, CDC Makwa, CDC Osler, Columbus, Conway, Harvest, Kane, Katepwa, Leader, Lillian, McKenzie, Neepawa, Park, Pasqua, Pembina, Thatcher, Unity and 5603HR.
Of the varieties slated for reclassification, Unity, Harvest, Lillian and Kane are by far the most popular among western Canadian growers.Commercial growers who produce the varieties will still be able to market their grain in the CWRS class until July 31, 2017.
The reclassification is intended to narrow the range of gluten strength parameters within the CWRS class, establishing Carberry as a the lower threshold for gluten strength and Glenn for the upper threshold.
The decision was based on consultations with domestic and international stakeholders, including end users who had raised concerns that gluten strength in the CWRS class was no longer meeting expectations.
Affected CPSR varieties include AC Foremost, AC Taber, Conquer and Oslo.