Still lots of green? It might not clear

Please read the Fundamentals article for the most up-to-date information on green seed.

Canola that still has a lot of green seed might not de-green that much further. Green may have been locked in by frost and if more de-greening was possible, it probably should have happened already with the moisture over the past two weeks. When good harvest opportunities arise, the best bet at this stage of the season is probably to get that canola in the bin.

Storage risk:
Canola with high chlorophyll content is less stable in storage, even if the canola is dry and cool. The safest bet is to deliver sooner than later. If that is not an option, monitor it closely.

Green grading:
•No.1 canola may contain up to 2% distinctly green seeds and a maximum of 5% damaged seed (including green).

•The allowable limit for No.2 is 6% distinctly green and 12% total damaged seed.
•The allowable limit for No.3 is 20% distinctly green and 25% total damaged seed.
•Anything above that is sample.

The Canadian Grain Commission’s Official Grain Grading Guide says damaged seed includes canola seeds that are: Distinctly shrunken or shriveled; badly discoloured from mould; completely and densely covered with rime (which is the lining of the pod adhered to the seed); excessively weathered, sprouted, tan coloured, distinctly green, heated, insect damaged or otherwise damaged.

Know your green count. For growers with high-green canola in the bin, it helps to know what you’ve got before you make marketing decisions. When shopping around for buyers, make sure your sample represents the canola you’ll deliver. Loads have been rejected because the canola delivered didn’t meet the specifications indicated in the original sample.

Get more than one opinion. “Distinctly green” is a subjective analysis, requiring graders to decide whether marginal lime green seeds count as “distinctly green” or not. This can make a big difference in price and marketability of canola if one grader counts 15% green (No.3) and another counts 25% (Sample) when analyzing the same canola. Growers unsure of what they’ve got can send samples to the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) Harvest Sample Program. Click here for more details.

Further reading:

Does green content go down in the bin?
What’s needed to restart the green-clearing enzyme?
Companies that buy high-green canola
What is distinctly green?