This week Federal Ag Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced an alternative service delivery program for grain testing.

The program called Recognition of Export Grain Analysis by Authorized Laboratories, also know as REGAL, will give exporters the option of having their grain shipments tested by private laboratories.

REGAL will provide the industry with more choices and timely service to access more international markets.

"Canadian grain exports are continuing to rise because of bigger crops and industry improvements in how grain is stored and shipped demonstrating a need for grain testing options," said MacAulay. "By implementing the REGAL program, our Government is helping grain farmers and exporters to more efficiently get their product to market and achieve our goal of reaching $75 billion worth of annual agri-food exports by 2025."

The program will help build the relationship between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Canadian Grain Commission, to serve the grain sector more efficiently.

In 2016, about $5.1 billion of grain was shipped to India and China, so the program will initially be focused on exports to these counties.