grain
Enable an AI agent to recognise agricultural grain, assess its recorded condition and suitability, and determine which handling or use actions are justified by available evidence.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex + Grok
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise agricultural grain, assess its recorded condition and suitability, and determine which handling or use actions are justified by available evidence.
A cereal caryopsis (the dry, one-seeded fruit of a grass) harvested as a bulk agricultural commodity for food, feed, seed or industrial use.
It can be Identify and segregate grain by crop, condition, treatment history and intended use.; Sample kernels or lots and commission measurements appropriate to the decision.; Clean, sort or grade grain against explicit requirements.; Dry, aerate or relocate grain when condition evidence supports the action.; Split or blend eligible lots while preserving lineage and reassessing resulting properties.; Release grain for a named use, hold it for investigation or route it to an appropriate alternative destination..
Distinguishing features
The object is identified as harvested cereal seed material; resemblance to small particles alone is insufficient.
Kernels remain recognisable as the material's defining units, distinguishing grain from flour or meal.
The record identifies whether it concerns one kernel, a sample or a bounded lot, preventing sample observations from becoming unsupported lot-wide claims.
A crop identity check distinguishes cereal grain from pulses and oilseeds, subject to confirmation of the registry's intended boundary.
Intended planting use is recorded separately from demonstrated germination performance and any applicable seed qualification.
Scope
+ Individual cereal kernels and bulk grain lots, with the observation scale made explicit
+ Crop identity, kernel composition and admixture
+ Lot boundaries, harvest provenance and changes caused by splitting or blending
+ Moisture, temperature, physical damage and evidence of deterioration
+ Evidence supporting storage, processing, food, feed or planting decisions
- Standing cereal plants and crop cultivation
- Flour, dough and other products whose defining form is no longer a kernel
- Silos, dryers, conveyors and other storage or handling equipment
- Ownership, trading contracts and shipment services
- Mineral particles, crystalline grains and wood grain
Characteristics
- Observation scale
- kernel | sample | lot Determines what the recorded observations can legitimately describe.
- Crop identity
- Recorded cereal species or crop name; mixed or unresolved where appropriate Establishes identity and the context for interpreting condition and use requirements.
- Lot membership and lineage
- Links to source lots, samples, split portions and blended lots Preserves which material an observation or treatment applies to.
- Grain mass
- kg or t, with weighing time and moisture basis where relevant Supports quantity decisions without confusing drying losses with unexplained material losses.
- Moisture content
- %, with wet or dry basis, method, sampling location and time Informs drying and storage decisions when interpreted for the crop and intended conditions.
- Grain temperature
- °C, with measurement depth, location and time Allows an agent to detect local differences and changes requiring investigation.
- Kernel integrity
- % broken, cracked or otherwise damaged kernels, with count or mass basis and method Helps assess processing suitability and the need for sorting or closer inspection.
- Non-target material
- % by mass, separated into identified admixture categories Distinguishes other crops, debris and potentially hazardous material that require different actions.
- Deterioration observations
- Dated observations of infestation, visible mould, unusual odour, sprouting or heating; absence observed and not assessed distinguished Supports investigation without treating an unexamined lot as sound.
- Contaminant test result
- Analyte-specific result and unit, with method, detection limit and sample reference Provides evidence for a particular use decision without substituting appearance for testing.
- Treatment history
- Links to drying, cleaning, fumigation, coating or other treatment records Explains changes in condition and possible restrictions on subsequent use.
- Intended-use disposition
- unassessed | awaiting evidence | accepted for named use | restricted | rejected for named use Makes suitability conditional on an explicit destination, requirement and evidence set.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.grain-attribute
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 28 questions.
Kernel identity and form Records what crop material is present and whether its physical form remains within the grain boundary.
Crop identity and kernel form determine whether this model applies and which assessments are meaningful.
Crop recognition
Separates supported crop identification from visual guesses and mixed composition.
Crop identity evidence
The agent must record the claimed crop identity, supporting evidence and unresolved admixture.
- Which cereal crop or mixture is this material identified as? definition
- Does that identification come from harvest records, supplier declarations, examination or testing? provenance
Kernel form boundary
Locates the material relative to harvested kernels and processed products.
Retained kernel form
The agent must distinguish intact or broken grain from transformations that require a neighbouring product model.
- Are the units intact, broken, dehulled, polished, rolled or ground? definition
- At which recorded transformation does this material cease to be represented as grain? boundary
Grain lot and sampling Defines the quantity under assessment and the relationship between bulk grain and sampled evidence.
A bulk grain lot can contain uneven conditions, so its identity and sampling coverage constrain every judgement.
Harvest and lot lineage
Tracks how harvest quantities become stored, split or blended lots.
Bounded grain quantity
The agent must identify the grain quantity to which provenance, observations and decisions apply.
- What physical separation, container or documented intake defines this lot? boundary
- Which harvests or earlier lots contributed to it, and when was it split or blended? provenance
Bulk sampling coverage
Records where, when and how grain samples were obtained.
Sample representativeness
The agent must preserve the limits of a sample's coverage before applying results to a lot.
- Which locations, depths or portions of the grain stream contributed to the sample? measurement
- What sampling procedure and subsequent lot changes determine whether this result supports the current decision? boundary
Kernel quality and composition Captures physical defects, admixture and measured properties relevant to grading or processing.
Grain quantities with the same crop identity may require different cleaning, sorting and processing actions.
Damage and admixture
Distinguishes damaged kernels from material that is not the target grain.
Defect and admixture profile
The agent must record defect categories and admixture separately, using an explicit assessment method.
- What proportions are broken, insect-damaged, sprouted or otherwise defective under the chosen method? measurement
- Which other seeds, husks, stones or debris are present, and which can be removed by the proposed cleaning step? action
Crop-specific quality
Connects selected quality measurements to a particular crop and destination.
Quality measurement context
The agent must record relevant quality results with the methods and requirements that make them interpretable.
- Which properties, such as bulk density, kernel size or protein content, are required for the proposed use? definition
- What results, units, moisture bases and methods support comparison with those requirements? measurement
Storage condition and deterioration Records the grain's moisture and temperature patterns, deterioration evidence and response to handling.
Storage decisions depend on the grain's changing condition and local variation within the bulk.
Moisture and heat patterns
Preserves spatial and temporal measurements relevant to drying and storage.
Storage condition profile
The agent must relate measured moisture and temperature to the crop, storage duration and proposed intervention.
- How do moisture and temperature vary across the lot and over time? measurement
- What crop-specific evidence supports continued storage, drying, aeration or relocation under the intended conditions? action
Biological deterioration
Captures observed infestation, mould, odour and sprouting without equating inspection with contaminant clearance.
Deterioration investigation
The agent must record the extent of observed deterioration and the evidence needed before further handling or release.
- What pests, visible mould, unusual odours or sprouted kernels were observed, where and when? measurement
- Which observations require segregation, additional sampling or specialist assessment before the next action? action
Use eligibility and treatment Connects treatment history, testing and destination requirements to an explicit grain disposition.
Grain cannot be judged suitable in the abstract; eligibility depends on its intended use and the evidence available.
Contaminants and treatments
Records relevant analytical evidence and interventions that may affect permitted uses.
Use restriction evidence
The agent must preserve contaminant results and treatment records as distinct evidence for use restrictions.
- Which relevant contaminants were tested, with what results, detection limits and sample coverage? measurement
- Which fumigants, seed treatments or other applied substances are documented, and what use conditions accompany them? provenance
Destination decision
Makes release, restriction or further investigation specific to a proposed destination.
Evidence-based grain disposition
The agent must connect each disposition to named requirements and identify missing evidence.
- Is the proposed destination food processing, feed, malting, planting or another named use, and which requirements apply? definition
- Does the available evidence justify release for that use, or must the lot be held, treated, retested or redirected? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- wheat
- maize (corn)
- rice
- barley
- sorghum
- oats
- rye
- millet
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Wikidata - Q121698 (cereal grain as foodstuff); related Q12117 (cereal / grain crop) - Q121698 is the edible grain; crop taxa have their own Q-ids (e.g. Triticum aestivum Q161098).
- HS / Harmonized System - Chapter 10 (cereals): 1001 wheat, 1002 rye, 1003 barley, 1004 oats, 1005 maize, 1006 rice, 1007 sorghum, 1008 other cereals - Used for customs and trade statistics of unmilled grain.
- FAOSTAT item codes - Cereals, total (1717); wheat 15, maize 56, rice 27, barley 44, sorghum 83, oats 75, rye 71, millet 79 - Production, trade and stock statistics.
- USDA GIPSA / FGIS grain class - Official classes under the US Grain Standards Act, e.g. Hard Red Winter wheat, Yellow corn, US No. 2 - Grade and class together identify a lot for merchandising.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Codex Alimentarius: Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Mycotoxin Contamination in Cereals (CXC 51-2003) and cereal commodity standards (FAO/WHO Codex)
- ISO 5527:2015 Cereals - Vocabulary; ISO 7970 wheat specification; ISO 7301 rice specification (ISO)
- United States Grain Standards Act and official US Standards for Grain (USDA AMS / FGIS)
- EU cereal common market organisation and hygiene rules: Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 (CMO) and Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (general food law); mycotoxin limits in Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915
- ISTA Rules for Seed Testing where grain is handled as seed (International Seed Testing Association)
- National phytosanitary rules under the IPPC / ISPM series for grain in international movement (IPPC / FAO)
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Harvested, dried and stored in bulk as a farm, elevator or port commodity
- Milled to flour, meal, grits or polished rice for human food
- Fed whole, cracked or as mash to livestock and poultry
- Sold as certified or farm-saved seed for the next crop
- Converted industrially to starch, glucose, ethanol, malt and brewing adjuncts
- Held as strategic or commercial stocks and traded on futures (CBOT/CME wheat, corn) and cash markets
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- moisture content - 8-18 (safe storage typically ≤14.5 for wheat, ≤15 for maize; rice paddy often 12-14 milled) - % wet basis
- test weight / bulk density - 60-80 (wheat ~72-78; maize ~68-73; oats much lower ~40-50) - kg/hL
- thousand-kernel weight - 20-50 (wheat ~30-45; maize kernels much heavier ~250-400) - g
- protein content (wheat) - 8-16 - % dry basis
- foreign material / dockage - 0-5 typical merchandising; grade limits tighter - % by mass
- lot mass - farm truck ~10-40; railcar ~90-110; vessel hold thousands - t
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Mycotoxin contamination (aflatoxins, DON/vomitoxin, fumonisins, zearalenone, ochratoxin) from field or storage moulds
- Heating, caking and spontaneous combustion in high-moisture bulk stores
- Insect and rodent infestation in stores and ships
- Sprouting, fermentation or souring after wetting
- Dust explosions in elevators and mills (grain dust is explosible)
- Engulfment and confined-space asphyxiation in bins and silos
- Admixture, identity-preserved failure and GM / allergenic cross-contact
- Phytosanitary interception (weed seeds, khapra beetle, karnal bunt) blocking trade
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- US/Canada 'grain' in official standards is cereals plus oilseeds and pulses in some elevator practice; USDA 'grain' grades cover wheat, maize, barley, oats, rye, sorghum, mixed grain - soybeans are graded separately but often handled as grain
- UK/Ireland 'corn' historically meant wheat or any cereal; US 'corn' means maize
- Australia and the Black Sea trade quote protein and falling number heavily for wheat; US quotes test weight and class
- Rice is the staple grain in much of Asia and is graded as paddy/husked/milled rather than as a bulk cereal in the wheat/maize sense
- Sorghum and millet dominate dryland Africa and parts of India where wheat/maize language is secondary
- EU intervention and quality specs (specific weight, moisture, protein, Hagberg) differ from USDA grades
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- pulse / grain legume (bean, pea, lentil) - A pulse is a dicot seed from Fabaceae, not a grass caryopsis; protein and nitrogen-fixing agronomy differ; HS chapter 07/12 vs 10.
- oilseed (soybean, rapeseed, sunflower) - Oilseeds are grown primarily for oil; soybeans are often handled in grain elevators but are not cereals and have separate US standards.
- pseudo-cereal (buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth) - Used like grain but not Poaceae; the fruit is not a grass caryopsis.
- seed (planting seed) - Same biological grain may be a seed lot when identity, germination and ISTA/AOSCA certification apply rather than food-grade specs.
- flour / meal / groats - Processed products of grain; HS chapter 11; no longer intact kernels.
- grain (unit of mass) - An avoirdupois unit of 64.79891 mg, unrelated to the commodity.
- crystalline grain (metallurgy) / wood grain - Microstructural or figure terms, not an agricultural object.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of grain this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Sources
- Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Mycotoxin Contamination in Cereals (CXC 51-2003, revised) - Defines cereals as harvested grain of cereal grasses and frames the contamination and handling hazards that apply to bulk grain.
- ISO 5527:2015 Cereals - Vocabulary - International vocabulary distinguishing cereal grain from related commodities and naming the principal cereal species.
- Grain Inspection Handbook - Book II, Grain Grading Procedures - US official grading of wheat, maize, barley, oats, rye, sorghum and mixed grain; moisture, test weight, damage and foreign-material criteria.
- International Grains Council - About grains - Trade definition of grains as wheat, maize, barley, sorghum, oats, rye and related cereals in international markets.
What the second pass must settle
- Does vr.tr.grain denote agricultural grain, an individual material particle or another sense, and does an existing world model already own that concept?
- If agricultural grain is intended, does the registry include pseudocereals, pulses or oilseeds within this entry?
- Where should the boundary fall for dehulled, polished, rolled, malted and other partially transformed kernels?
- Which authoritative crop-specific sampling methods, storage guidance and destination requirements should ground a researched publication?
- Should planting grain remain a use profile here or link to a separate seed model that owns germination, varietal identity and qualification?