HGCA has published an updated guide to grain sampling. The guide brings together existing published guidance on sampling into one publication, updating and highlighting best practice across the supply chain.

The new guide, which has been endorsed by seven industry organisations, covers recent developments in protocols as well as the essentials of when to sample and how to do it.

“For growers, knowing the quality of your grain is essential so that you can store it then sell it effectively, and get the best return for your work,” says HGCA Chairman, Jonathan Tipples.

He continues, “But the new guide is not just for growers. It has been drawn up with support across the supply chain, so it sets a benchmark for good sampling practice from the field to the weighbridge.”

The new guide highlights four key points for sampling grain. The first is to know the harvested quality so that growers can dry and cool the grain as necessary and identify potential buyers.

Protecting the harvested quality is the second stage. Stored well, grain quality should not deteriorate but store managers need to be on the look-out for any early signs of spoilage or infestation.

Third, when grain leaves the farm, it is important to get a sample of what is loaded onto the lorry. This provides a record of what has been sold and can show that the grain meets specifications. In addition, farm assurance schemes often require this type of sample to be retained to ensure traceability in the supply chain.

The final stage for sampling is at commercial intake where buyers use automated equipment to take samples from lorries as they come in. These samples are used to confirm that the grain meets the specification and also to inform decisions about further processing.

HGCA has also updated its poster ‘Inspecting grain for defects and impurities.’

Get the guide and poster at www.hgca.com/grainsampling.

Come and see HGCA’s interactive grain sampling display at this year’s UK Grain event on 6 November.