The Canadian Grain Commission has sent out an annual warning to farmers to be wary when selling grain.
“It’s something we try and do every year after harvest and farmers are starting to sell their grain,” said Ken McLean, community relations officer with the Canadian Grain Commission in Winnipeg.
This is not a special warning, he said, even though several Alberta farmers lost thousands of dollars when All-Grain Alberta Ltd., declared bankruptcy this spring.
Many producers believed because All Grain was operating in a former UGG grain elevator that it was a licensed company. When All Grain declared bankruptcy it was not covered by the commission and the farmers were not compensated.
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“All Grain is not the only unlicensed company that has gone belly up over the years,” said McLean.
“It’s not a common occurrence but when it happens, it’s a big deal.”
McLean said the News release
news sent to farm newspapers and posted on their website is a reminder to producers that not all crops are covered. Only grain companies licensed by the commission post security to cover what they owe producers.
Recently there have been concerns by farmers that canaryseed and spices such as coriander and dill are not covered under the Canada Grains Act.
Covered under the act are barley, beans, buckwheat, canola, chickpeas, corn, fababeans, flax, lentils, mixed grain, mustardseed, oats, peas, rapeseed, rye, safflower seed, solin, soybeans, sunflower seed, triticale and wheat.
