As harvest 2023/24 approaches, Viterra asks growers to be mindful of food safety and quality management standards when preparing to deliver their grain to a Viterra site.
Growers play an important role in upholding South Australia’s grain quality, protecting its global reputation and continuing to meet end use market requirements.
As part of managing food safety and quality, growers have a responsibility to manage chemical applications in line with regulations.
It is critical only registered and approved chemicals are used on crops, and growers declare any chemical usage appropriately on Viterra’s delivery advice and declaration.
Growers are required to complete a delivery advice and declaration for each delivery to the company, available on the Viterra app through digital delivery advice or as a hard copy book at Viterra sites.
It is important the delivery advice and declaration is accurate to ensure we can manage stocks to meet the requirements of end use customers and maintain market access for growers’ grain. If a carrier is delivering on behalf of a grower and does not have the required information, they must contact the grower and make every effort to ensure the information declared is true.
Maintaining vehicle hygiene and cleaning grain handling equipment also forms part of growers’ role in upholding the reputation of South Australian grain. Viterra sites can only receive grain free of contaminants in line with industry standards.
Growers must make sure that all equipment used for holding, transferring and carrying grain is inspected and cleaned prior to use in line with Viterra’s vehicle hygiene requirements. Vehicles and equipment such as augers, bins and headers can contain traces of contaminants, such as old and pickled grain, fertiliser and bait for pests, particularly if they haven’t been used for some time.
Viterra will check for nil contaminants at classification and throughout the delivery process, including during tipping off on the grid, in line with Grain Trade Australia (GTA) standards to ensure stock quality is maintained for end use destinations.
As growers are accountable for grain deliveries made on their behalf, growers using carriers are required to ensure their carrier’s truck is clean before loading grain. Growers are also required to declare the last load when making a delivery. The prior load matrix, which is available on the Viterra website, outlines the correct procedures to follow for cleaning vehicles to the acceptable standards, in line with what has previously been carried in the vehicle.
For more information on making deliveries to Viterra, visit the growers menu on the Viterra website.