Canadian Grain Commission

The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is the regulator of Canada’s grain handling industry and is the agency that certifies the quality and quantity of Canadian grain shipments by:

• regulating all aspects of grain handling in Canada through grain quality and quantity assurance programs
• carrying out scientific research to understand grain quality and safety and to support the grain grading system

Guided by the Canada Grain Act, the CGC works to establish and maintain standards of quality for Canadian grain, regulate grain handling in Canada and to ensure that grain is a dependable commodity for domestic and export markets.

The Grain Appeal Tribunal is an independent committee appointed by the Commission. The tribunal's function is to examine appeals by those dissatisfied with the grade assigned by the Commission on an official sample. Its decision is final.

When an appeal is made, the tribunal inspects the grain or a representative sample of the grain, reviews the decisions of inspection officers, assigns to the sample the grade the tribunal considers appropriate, notifies the complainant, and, if a change of grade occurs, ensures that all documents relating to the grain are revised accordingly.

Appeals may be made only on official inspections of samples taken by an officer delegated by the Commission. Appeals may not be made on inspections of grain samples taken at primary elevators or at the time grain is discharged from terminal or transfer elevators.