SWIFT CURRENT, Sask- Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) inspectors in a Thunder Bay Terminal recently discovered Grandin wheat in 16 hopper cars which were supposed to contain #2 CWRS milling wheat. Had the inspectors not spotted the Grandin, it would have been mixed with thousands of tonnes of wheat in terminal bins. The NFU estimates that potential losses to farmers could have exceeded $200,000. The incident underscores the value of CGC inspectors.

Despite the clear value of these inspectors, Minister of Agriculture Lyle Vanclief is currently considering recommendations to cut inward inspection services. The recommendations, which originated from CGC officials, would see inward inspection carried out at a centralized, remote sight several hours or days later.

"The savings, if we centralize inspection, would be less than 1/4" per bushel. Farmers are not so shortsighted that they want the CGC's ability to ensure grain quality diminished in order to save that 1/4". On the contrary, farmers understand that CGC inspection and quality monitoring adds value to Canadian grain-value that far exceeds 1/4" per bushel," said NFU Saskatchewan Board member Stewart Wells in a letter sent today to Minister of Agriculture Lyle Vanclief (see attached letter.)

The 16 hopper cars found by inspectors contained 174 tonnes of Grandin. This amount could contaminate 3,480 tonnes of #2 CWRS to the point where it would be downgraded to feed. The loss in this case would be $212,280. "By catching the Grandin contamination on a car-by-car basis, before it was mixed with other grain in terminal bins or loaded onto a ship, the CGC inspectors prevented the contamination of a larger volume of grain and saved farmers a great deal of money," stated Wells' letter to Vanclief.

The letter concluded by urging Vanclief to look very critically at the recommendations in the CGC's Program Review. It also reiterated the NFU's request that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture hold hearings on the CGC. The NFU cautioned Vanclief that: "much of the information contained in the CGC's Program Review is questionable or misleading. Hearings are the best way to ensure that you and your government have correct and complete information before you make critical decisions which will affect the future of the CGC and of farmers."

For More Information:

• Stewart Wells, NFU Sask. Board member: (306) 773-6852
  
• Darrin Qualman, Executive Secretary: (306) 652-9465