This consolidation is unofficial and is for reference only. For the official version of the regulations, consult the original documents on file with the Registry of Regulations, or refer to the Royal Gazette Part II. Regulations are amended frequently. Please check the list of Regulations by Act to see if there are any recent amendments to these regulations filed with the Registry that are not yet included in this consolidation. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this electronic version, the Registry of Regulations assumes no responsibility for any discrepancies that may have resulted from reformatting. This electronic version is copyright © 2009, Province of Nova Scotia, all rights reserved. It is for your personal use and may not be copied for the purposes of resale in this or any other form.
Wool Inspection, Grading, Marking and Selling Regulations made under Section 166 of the
Agriculture and Marketing Act
R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 6
N.S. Reg. 8/58 (May 30, 1958)1 The grading or marking of wool is not obligatory, but if wool is marked, it shall be marked only as in these regulations provided and shall in all respects fit the description of such marking set out in these regulations and shall be sold in accordance with these regulations.
2 In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires,
(a) "Act" means Chapter 6 of the Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1989, the Agriculture and Marketing Act;
(b) "authorized description" means a description set out in these regulations as to type, class and grade;
(c) "grader" means a person licensed by or under the authority of the Minister to grade wool;
(d) "inspector" means an inspector appointed under the Act;
(e) "Minister" means Minister of Agriculture and Marketing;
[Note: Effective February 24, 2006, the reference to the Minister of Agriculture and Marketing should be read as a reference to the Minister of Agriculture in accordance with Order in Council 2006-121 under the Public Service Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 376.](f) "producer" means a person who sells wool grown on his own farm only;
(g) "registered warehouse" means a warehouse, woolen mill or other premises where wool is graded, marked and packed in respect of which there is in force a certificate of registration issued by the Minister;
(h) "wool" means unwashed fleece wool.
3 No person shall mark or cause to be marked with any description other than one of those set out in these regulations as to type, class and grade, any wool or any batch, lot, bale, package, or container thereof.
4 No person shall ship, transport, advertise, sell, offer for sale or have in his possession for sale, any wool or any batch, lot, bale, package or container thereof
(a) which is marked with a description other than an authorized description; or
(b) which is marked with a description and the wool does not in all respects correspond to it.
5 No person other than a grader shall grade wool or issue a grade certificate thereof.
6 No person shall grade wool or apply grade marks to wool except in a registered warehouse.
7 The Minister may issue a certificate of registration, valid for the current calendar year, with respect to a warehouse, woolen mill or other premises when satisfied that
(a) such warehouse, woolen mill or premises has adequate facilities and equipment for the proper handling, grading, marking and packing of wool in accordance with these regulations;
(b) all wool received in such warehouse, woolen mill or premises can be properly handled, graded, marked, packed, inspected and stored therein, in accordance with these regulations.
8 The Minister may cancel a certificate of registration if in his opinion a contravention of the Act or these regulations has occurred in the operation of the registered warehouse concerned.
9 Every person who applies for a registration certificate shall furnish the Minister with the name of every person who is to act as a grader in the registered warehouse and shall from time to time, so long as the registered warehouse is being operated, forthwith furnish the Minister with the name of every person newly engaged to act as a grader therein.
10 The Minister, on being satisfied of the competence of any person applying therefor, may issue to such a person a license to grade wool.
11 Every person who collects or takes delivery of ungraded wool from a producer when it is agreed between the producer and such person that such wool shall be graded
(a) shall not pay more than 80 per centum of the estimated market value of the wool at the time of collection or delivery;
(b) shall identify each parcel of wool by marking thereon the producer's name and until such wool is graded, shall maintain such identification during the time such wool is in his possession;
(c) shall make out or cause to be made out and signed at the time of collection or receipt a legible statement in triplicate showing
(i) name and address of person collecting or receiving wool,
(ii) name or registration number of warehouse to which the wool is to be delivered,
(iii) name and address of producer,
(iv) date of collection or receipt,
(v) number of parcels in each lot,
(vi) lot number if lots are so identified,
(vii) approximate gross weight of lot,
(viii) amount of advance payment, if any,
(ix) signature of person collecting or receiving wool,
(x) signature of producer;(d) the original copy of a statement made out pursuant to this Section shall be given to the producer, one copy shall be given to or retained by the warehouse operator and one copy shall be retained by the collector, who shall retain the same in his possession for a period of at least six months.
12 Every operator of a registered warehouse shall furnish each producer of wool, supplied or delivered to such warehouse, a grading and final settlement together with payment of the amount still remaining unpaid on such wool.
13 Each grading and final settlement statement shall show
(a) name and address of producer;
(b) name and address of wool collector, if any;
(c) name and number of warehouse where wool was graded;
(d) weight of wool in each grade;
(e) date wool was graded;
(f) price per pound paid for each grade;
(g) amount of
(i) cash advance paid, if any,
(ii) full payment;(h) date of final settlement.
14 The settlement weight for every lot of wool graded in a registered warehouse shall be the net receiving weight as weighed on a government tested scale in the warehouse in which the wool was graded.
15 All lots of ungraded wool received at a registered warehouse shall be graded within four months of date of receipt, and grading statements for all lots so graded shall be available to inspectors within seven days of date of grading.
16 No operator of a registered warehouse shall release from such warehouse any graded wool unless such wool has been inspected and approved by an inspector.
17 Each sack or bale of graded wool shall be marked in a legible and indelible manner at the time of packing with an authorized description and before shipment with its gross weight.
18 No person, unless authorized by an inspector, shall at any time change, delete or add to any marking placed on a sack or bale of wool in accordance with
Regulation[Section] 17.19 When any person wishes to purchase wool in a registered warehouse to be specially selected by him, he may, with the approval of the owner of the wool and with the authority of an inspector, open sacks or bales of wool and remove the selected wool. Such removed wool shall be repacked and marked in accordance with
Regulation[Section] 17 and with the additional letters "S.S." (special selection).20 All wool remaining over in any warehouse after any special selection has been made shall, if it is to be shipped or transported, be repacked and remarked as required by these regulations and marked with additional letters "R.S.S." (remainder after special selection).
21 Except for the purpose of taking samples or as permitted under
Regulation[Section] 19, no person other than an inspector shall open any sack or bale in which graded wool has been packed nor remove any wool therefrom.22 Every operator of a registered warehouse shall keep such records of receipts, purchases, inventories and sales of wool as the Minister may prescribe and shall furnish to the Minister such reports on operations as the Minister may require.
23 An inspector may place under detention any wool in relation to which he reasonably believes an offence against the Act or these regulations has been committed.
24 The inspector shall attach to each lot of wool under detention a numbered detention tag which shall bear the words "Under Detention-Department of Agriculture," together with a brief description of such lot, the date, and the inspector's signature.
25 Immediately after placing any wool under detention the inspector shall deliver or mail to the owner of the wool or his agent a completed form of "Notice of Detention"; if the detained wool is in premises other than of the owner, a copy of the "Notice of Detention" shall be given to the person in whose premises the wool is located.
26 When an inspector is satisfied that these regulations have been complied with in respect of any detained wool, he may issue a completed form of "Notice of Release," one copy of which shall be given to the owner of the wool or his agent.
27 No person other than an inspector shall remove, alter, deface or destroy a detention tag and except as authorized by an inspector, no person shall move any lot of wool to which a detention tag is attached.
28 The following will be the types, classes and grades of wool:
(1) Types and classes
(a) Western range fleece wool
Wool produced under range conditions in the four western provinces of Canada (predominantly fine and 1/2 blood staple 58s, 60s, 64s and up) and also occasional fine and 1/2 blood staple fleeces from farm flocks of Western Canada. Range fleece wool is subdivided into the following classes:(i) Choice X
Wool that is high yielding, bright and attractive in appearance. It must be well grown, sound, of good combing length, uniform in quality and free from visible earthy matter.(ii) Choice Wool
Must be well grown and attractive, sound and fairly uniform. Must be comparatively free from earthy matter.(iii) Average X
Must be generally well grown but may contain some weathered tips and some earthy material. Heavier shrinking and darker in appearance than Choice.(iv) Average
Dark looking and heavy or very badly weathered and wasty. Usually contains a considerable amount of dust and sand.(b) Western domestic fleece wool
Wool produced under farm conditions in Western Canada (predominantly 3/8 blood staple and 1/4 blood staple). Western domestic fleece wool is subdivided into the following classes:(i) Bright
Fleeces that are well grown with good colour and very light shrinking.(ii) Semi-bright
Fleeces that are average in character, rather dingy in appearance, and carrying slightly more organic matter.(iii) Dark
Fleeces that are dark coloured and quite heavy with sand or any other foreign material. Also includes wools that are badly "timber stained" or fleeces that are brashy and wasty.(c) Eastern domestic
Wool produced in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces. In general this type is fairly bright in appearance and strong in staple although there is considerable variability in length of staple and other characteristics because of the number of breeds of sheep represented.
Because of this variation in characteristics and staple lengths in Eastern domestic wools it is possible to make a number of selections within a grade. Subject to the approval of an inspector, it will be permissible for warehouse operators to make these special selections to meet manufacturers's requirements.(2) Grades
The following grades shall apply to the various types and classes of wool:
Fine staple (64s, 70s and up);
Fine clothing;
Fine medium staple (1/2 blood staple; 58s-60s);
Fine medium clothing (1/2 blood clothing);
Medium staple (3/8 blood staple; 56s);
Medium clothing (3/8 blood clothing);
Low medium staple (1/4 blood staple; 48s-50s);
Low staple (low 1/4 blood staple; 44s-46s);
Coarse (Braid; 36s-40s);
Grey and Black: Fine, Medium, Coarse, Karakul.Defective Grades
Defective grades comprise wool which shows faults or defects which impair its value for manufacturing purposes. Some of these defective wools may be subdivided into two or three grades, according to fineness of staple or defectiveness. The more common defective grades include the following:
- -Dead
- Fine
- Medium
- Murrain
- -Chaffy and Burry
- Light -
- Fine
- Medium
- Heavy -
- Fine
- Medium
- -Cotts -
- Soft
- Hard
- -Tags-Fine, Medium
- -Damaged
- -Kempy
- -Sweepings