best practice management guide for south-eastern Australia - Grains ...

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because of a sudden collapse in prices late in the season
and is able to take advantage of any spike in prices, so that
the average price achieved is in the top one-third of prices
for the season. All growers will have a different attitude
to risk. Farmers who have expanded the farm enterprise
to provide employment for children and have incurred
significant debt as a result are more inclined to hedge prices
to ensure debt repayments are able to be made. For a farm
operator who is well established with close to 100 per cent
equity it may be less important.
Delivery standards are as follows:
n Moisture content. Eight per cent maximum. If accepted
over the maximum then a two per cent deduction in price
applies for each one per cent moisture above eight per
cent. Growers normally have little trouble achieving a
moisture level of eight per cent; in fact many crops are
as low as six per cent moisture when harvested. High
moisture seed should not be stored as severe heating
is likely.
n Oil content. Forty-two per cent is the base level, with
1.5 per cent premium or deduction for each one per cent
above or below 42 per cent.
n Impurities. Seed is rejectable at over three per cent
(by weight) impurity. If accepted, a one-for-one penalty
operates up to four per cent, and two-for-one penalty
operates above four per cent. Impurities include weed
seeds, stem and seed pieces, and very small shrivelled
canola seeds. Most growers achieve a fairly clean sample
and few are penalised for impurities.
n Test weight. A minimum test weight of 62 kg/hectolitre
applies. Seed is rejectable under this limit.
n Broken seed. Seed is rejectable if it contains over seven
per cent broken seed. There is a 0.5 per cent price
penalty for each one per cent broken seed above this
level. Broken seed consists of hulls, kernels and seed
pieces normally resulting from mechanical damage.
n Damaged seed. Up to three per cent of seed may be
damaged without penalty. A 0.5 per cent price penalty
applies for each one per cent broken seed above this
level. Seed is ‘damaged’ if it is affected by heat, frost,
sprouting or other weather damage.
n Field insects. Up to 10 large field insects per 0.5 L
are allowed (grasshoppers, woodbugs, ladybirds and
Rutherglen bug) and 100 small field insects (thrips/
aphids/mites) but loads may be rejected if they contain
higher levels of these insects.
n Green seed. Up to two per cent without penalty. Loads
may be rejected above two per cent using the ruler
method or determined as chlorophyll, up to a maximum of
12 parts per million, and rejectable above this level.
A full copy of the Canola Standards can be obtained from
the Grain Trade Australia (formerly NACMA) website
(www.nacma.com.au).
Canola best practice management guide
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