Pulse Standards 2016–17

The Pulse Standards Committee (Committee) met during 2016 to consider pulse standards to be adopted in 2016/17. During the development of the standards, comments from industry were sought on changes required to the standards. All industry submissions received were considered by the Committee and used to develop the pulse standards for 2016/17, for application and use by industry as of 1 August 2016.

2016–17 Pulse Standards and Explanatory Notes

Agreed Changes for Adoption in the 2016/17 Season

The following changes were adopted in the 2016/17 standards:

Agreed Change: Visual Recognition Standards Guide (VRSG)

The existing 2015/16 version for all pulses was adopted, with no changes.  It was agreed that when a further VRSG is produced the existing mung bean charts would be considered for inclusion.

Agreed Change: Minor wording updates

Revised the link to the MICoR website, outlining quarantine restrictions by market.

Revised the link for industry to obtain all Australian MRLs for chemicals, which are located on the ComLaw website.

Revised the link to the National Residue Survey database which outlines maximum residue limits in important export markets for Australian pulses.

Clarified the screen slot size to be used for red lentils, as this was missing in one standard.

Agreed Change: New Field pea grade

Added a new grade, CSP 10.2.3, being Field Pea Machine Dressed No.2 Export Grade.

Rejected Change in the 2016/17 Season

Advice has been provided to industry on an annual basis since 2012 that Grain Trade Australia (GTA) were reviewing all weed seed categories and tolerances and a decision by the Committee on any potential changes to pulse standards would be held over until the issue was considered “on an industry-basis” for all cereal commodities.

GTA has recently released a paper to industry advising that the revised weed seed categories will not be adopted in the 2016/17 cereal standards.

As a consequence, for the pulse standards, the Committee agreed not to adopt the revised weed seed categories for pulses in the 2016/17 standards. No further review of weed seed categories and tolerances is planned at this time.