The little black box for grain inspectors

REBECCA DUBE

Globe and Mail Update
Last updated on Tuesday, Apr. 07, 2009 01:29AM EDT

For generations, grading grain has followed the same basic script: An inspector takes a sample of grain, looks it over, mentally compares it to all the grain he's seen before, and gives it a grade.

Of course, the local inspector and the port inspector could have quite different ideas of what makes a No. 2 Red, planting a measure of uncertainty for producers in the process.

Over the years, machines have sprouted up that objectively analyze the protein and moisture content inside grain, but visual inspection for frost, mildew and disease damage has always relied on a pair of subjective human eyes.

Until now.

DuPont Canada Inc., along with Agriculture Canada and several Canadian companies, has developed a new device that uses digital imaging and artificial neural networks to visually analyze and grade grain. It won't replace human grain inspectors, at least not in Canada, but DuPont hopes the technology will become a valuable tool around the globe.

"One of the things we're always looking for in the grain industry is consistency," said Murdoch MacKay, vice-president of operations for Agricore United, Canada's largest grain company, which is currently trying out two of DuPont's Acurum machines. "We're thinking Acurum could take the subjectivity out of grain grading."

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