The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-11-30
STANDARD Grain
IS NOW ASSURED
Tests Are Applied From Country
Elevators to Holds of Trans
atlantic Liners.
BEST wheat GIVEN PREMIUM
Department of Agriculture Has Made
Study Of Marketing and Grading
Practices-War Necessitated
Some Changes.

From country elevators to the hold
| of q transatlantic liner wheat and
corn destined for the army and the al
lies and almost all of that arriving at
mills and terminal markets is handled
| on grades fixed and applied under
| federal supervision. The inspection of
| wheat and shelled corn Is under the
direction of the United States depart
ment of agriculture, with licensed in
| spectors located at small markets, ter
minals or at the seaboard and the
standards in use are the same at all in
were in effect there was little uni
formity in grain standards at the diff
ferent markets such as now exists
throughout the United States.
In the past grain was often graded
at country points on the basis of an
average for the crop which placed the
best grain in lower grades than it de-
served. Now a grower of the best
wheat receives premium, even under
fixed prices, for his extra care in pro-
ducing it. Thus federal standards pro-
vide premium grades for grain of SUI
perior quality.
How Grades Were Made.
Before the passage Of the United
States grain standards act complaints
were received from foreign buyers and
buyers of grain located outside the
ghin-producing sections of the United
States, stating that grain purchased
frequently did not conform to the
grade specifications for which their
contracts called. For over ten years
the department of agriculture has
grain grading practices throughout
the United States and in foreign trade.
obtained samples of many shipments.
and devised apparatus for the me-.
chanical determination of grading fac
tors. Before the official grain stand.
ards We're adopted they were submitted
tC representatives OF producers and tn
the grain trade for suggestions and
criticisms, and the standards were de
cided upon after all phases of market
ing were considered so that no single
would be favored at the ok
pense of any other interest.
Grades Revised for Wheat.
Because Of the abnormal conditions
in the grain trade, due to the war nnd
the resulting fixed prices for wheat |
certain changes in wheat grades we're
A series of five hearings
were held during March of this ycnr
to receive suggestions from Interested |
persons on the proposed revision of
the official standards for wheat ont
of these hearings and the practical |
experience in supervising the nrplicn- |
ton Of the standards the grades were !
revised to have effect July 10. 1pts. |
The changes were all In the nature Of |,
ct grains other thnn wheat, |
Increase in the amount of foreign |
present within each grade.
and minor changes in definitions of |
classes and grades. Increased percent
ages of moisture were allowed In soy
eral grades, reduction In test weigh, |
per bushel was made In some In
stances, and more damaged and heat
grades.
How Grades Are Applied.
The bureau Of markets of the do |
2artment of agriculture now main |
aims 80 local offices Mt the principal |
Grain markets to supervise the grad.