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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do you collect the prices?
We gather data for the Price Discovery Tool by directly contacting certified organic farmers and buyers every two weeks. This involves phone calls, emails, data already available on buyers and brokers websites, and using the information gathered from our website’s grain price submission form. This ensures that the data is as up-to-date as possible prior to publication. All prices submitted are subject to rigorous scrutiny to confirm their authenticity and source.
What are the data sources for the prices?
The primary sources for the price data are certified organic farmers, grain buyers and brokers. This information is collected directly from the stakeholders through direct contacts like phone calls or emails with farmers, and using the information submitted on our website by organic farmers. Only prices from certified organic operators are considered, and their certification status is verified before accepting their price data.
How can I trust the price points?
The purpose of the Organic Grain Hub is to act as a benchmark, primarily to give organic farmers a starting point in negotiations with buyers. We gather our data only from trusted sources and do not include prices that are outliers - i.e. more than three standard deviations from the average price. However, since the tool relies on community-sourced data, there can be biases or inaccuracies that affect the reported prices, users should exercise caution and conduct their own research. While the tool provides a starting point, it should not be the sole basis for your financial decisions.
Is your price tool free to use?
Yes, it is completely free! We offer Canada's most accurate free pricing tool for organic grains. We also offer a free market insights newsletter - sign up for it here.
What is the # sign at the end of the row under the price tool?
The "#" sign at the end of each row in the price tool represents the number of observations that contributed to the median price displayed. This number serves as an indicator of the data's reliability—the more observations, the more likely the price reflects a stable and accurate market representation.
What makes your pricing tool unique?
The Price Discovery Tool is unique because it focuses exclusively on organic grains, oilseeds, and pulses within Canada, using a methodology that emphasizes data quality and reliability. It presents prices as median values rather than averages to minimize the impact of outliers and provides the number of observations to indicate data reliability. Furthermore, it is one of the few tools that provide such specific information on the organic sector, making it a valuable resource for stakeholders in this niche market.
I am a farmer, can I submit the prices I received from a buyer?
Yes! We welcome farmers to report their recent transaction prices to enhance the accuracy of the data we collect. You can submit this information completely anonymously either through our Organic Grains Price Submission Form online or by emailing your price data to sales@organicgrainhub.com. Your contributions will help to improve the tool's accuracy and reliability, benefiting the broader organic agriculture community.
UNDERSTANDING THE PRICE POINT TOOL
Median value and the price range
Prices are represented as median values in Canadian dollars. Median values were chosen over averages because they provide a more stable midpoint in a series of observations, less susceptible to extreme values.
For each price, both the range - low and high and the number of observations are posted.
Data are standardized to ensure consistency and comparability. Prices gathered from the United States are converted to Canadian dollars based on the currency value on the date closest to the transaction date.
Spot and contract prices
For spot prices, we accept only transactions that have been agreed upon by both the buyer and the seller in the two-week period preceding publication. For contracts, the contract may have been negotiated at any point in the past, but the delivery period for the grain must be valid at least for the two-week period preceding publication.
Price regionality
We separate prices collected from different regions if median prices for the regions are significantly different. If they are not, prices from different regions are aggregated. Outlier prices - i.e. those that fall more than three standard deviations from the average price are not included.
Aggregation and Analysis
After collection and standardisation, data are aggregated and analysed using basic statistical methods. For each price, both the range - low and high and the number of observations are posted. Users should use the number of observations as a proxy for data quality (reliability).
Prices based on a low number of observations should be viewed with more scepticism than those based on a higher number of observations. Note that the number of prices depends both on how common a product is (i.e. how much volume is grown in North America) and the number of companies that actively purchase the product. For example, oilseeds such as hemp and mustard have a very restricted set of buyers that we can approach for price information.
