Keeping low-quality grain out of the market channel eliminates most quality problems at the export elevator and reduces the opportunity for blending diverse qualities. Technologies and Grain-handling Practices . The policies and institutional structure of the U.S. grain system provide the framework for various grain-handling practices. The technologies for producing and handling are quite similar everywhere. The main difference is that the United States is slightly more efficient in their use.
Differences do exist, however, as to when the technologies are used in the marketing channel.
A case in point is cleaning. Most countries, except the United States, clean grain at the first point of receipt. Canada and Australia are two exceptions, but for different reasons. However, upon studying the economic feasibility of cleaning grain in the country versus at export, Canadians will probably change their practices. Australia does not clean grain because, unlike in the United States, farmers deliver grain that does not need to be cleaned.