WHEAT Quality Australia (WQA) released its annual 2014/15 wheat variety master list last week, which contains the names and highest possible grade for wheat varieties approved in Australia's classification process.
The list provides industry information about the quality attributes of new varieties, which are classified based on long-term and accumulative standards and set on long-term market demand.
Eleven varieties were added to the 2014 list, and 46 varieties were flagged for removal from next year's list including older varieties such as Wagin, Bencubbin and Darkan.
WA growers will see the first new Udon Noodle wheat variety introduced to the marketplace since 2009 two new APH varieties, and new AH and APW varieties.
Some existing varieties received upgrades and out of region classification.
WQA chairman Don Plowman said there had never been a more important time to focus on the integrity of one of Australia's main exports.
"Australia has a fantastic international reputation for delivering consistently high quality product which meets end-user expectations," Dr Plowman said.
"As we enter into an era of higher demand and increased competition we need to ensure integrity is paramount."
Dr Plowman said WQA was attempting to clean up the list by proposing removing 46 varieties from 2015/16.
"They are varieties that fit into a number of categories, usually they are old varieties that are no longer grown," he said.
"They are varieties that have a feed classification today but if we take them off the list they can still be delivered as feed.
"The bulk handlers don't want to segregate too many varieties and if there are varieties that haven't been grown for 20-30 years then there is no reason to have them on the list."
Dr Plowman said WQA planned to consult with growers and traders to determine if there was value to maintaining a listing of varieties 12 seasons or more old which are not grown by most producers.
"We will meet with Grain Producers Australia to start the consultation process for the coming list," he said.
"We think we need to engage well with growers to ensure that if they are still growing a variety that has a role somewhere then there is no reason for us to take it from the list."
Dr Plowman said he was confident in the system that determines the requirements for classification and receival standards for export.
"There has been a lot of discussion about the quality of grain declining over time," he said.
"Our view is that when we look at it from a classification point of view, we can't support that at all because the quality standards haven't changed.
"In fact they have been tightened, because over time there has been more classes established.
"There is a lot of work done to ensure the controls that are used for classifying are the right controls.
"We are quite confident the quality contained within varieties that have been released has not declined."
Dr Plowman said breeders, growers, marketers and manufacturers had set the long-term directions of classifications.
"They're repeatedly saying they are increasingly marketing to the specifications of wheat not a variety," he said.
"They don't market a variety class anymore they market a specification from which they will then select from the material that has been delivered.
"We are particularly interested in what is happening apart from the integrity of the quality system but also making sure we are thinking about wheat quality attributes the end-users will require in 10 to 15 years time.
"We need to be understanding what the marketplace is saying and making sure the classification system is matching that."
Dr Plowman said industry was looking at what the marketplace was doing as well as its competitors.
"Who is responsible for researching the marketplace, that is the question," he said.
"We're relying on two main sources: one is the marketers, traders and manufacturers and the signals they are picking up.
"To look backwards that's why we are where we are now, but we are also increasingly getting the information out of the Australian Grain Export Innovation Centre.
"They are producing more strategic assessments of the quality needs in different markets.
"We are not going to get too far ahead, we do have a mechanism to bring to players together to have that discussion.
"We are ensuring the classification system is in line with the longer term markets."
Dr Plowman said he was keen to open up discussion about feed wheat and the role it played in the broader challenge of meeting Asia's changing dietary needs, including animal protein versus grain protein.
