Grain Trade Australia (GTA) is leading discussions with key grain industry specialists in Sydney, Australia to establish a standard and supporting framework for the national adoption of digital image recognition technology for grain quality. The Australian grain industry is eager to take advantage of the benefits and emerging opportunities presented by this technology, which uses digital images to evaluate grain quality attributes and defects in grain samples.
GTA’s chief executive officer, Pat O’Shannassy, emphasized the potential of digital image recognition technology to enhance the speed, accuracy, and consistency of grain quality testing. Having consistency in the various grain supply chains is important for all stakeholders and contributes to the smooth facilitation of trade. Current processes for some grain quality tests rely on visual examination or other methods that have not changed for many years. Therefore, the industry recognizes the need to develop a standard and an accepted process to ensure the consistency and accuracy of new equipment before it is introduced to the market.
While researchers and technology providers are eager for the industry to adopt digital image recognition technology, there is currently no standard or implementation framework to support its acceptance and use across the grain industry. GTA is proposing an industry standard and supporting framework to enable the digital assessment and transformation of quality and phytosanitary components of the Australian grain testing and certification processes for both domestic and export grain. The proposed standard will allow both government and commercial companies to adopt a uniform system for assessing, approving, and maintaining emerging digital imagery grain assessment technology.
GTA was established in 1991 with a mission to formalize commodity trading standards, develop