Canada Grain Act makes canary seed official

Selling canaryseed, which can be a risky business in Canada, is about to become a lot less risky for Canadian growers. Effective Aug. 1, canaryseed will be designated as an “official grain” under the Canada Grain Act. That means canaryseed growers will have access to the same services, programs and protections that are currently offered by the Canadian Grain Commission to producers of other official grains, such as wheat, barley, flax and canola. Specifically, canaryseed growers will be protected against financial losses that occur when they deliver canaryseed to a company that’s in financial distress and is unable to pay for the grain that it’s already received. The official grain status will mean several changes as of Aug. 1: The decision to include canaryseed in the Canada Grain Act was made after canaryseed producers raised concerns about financial losses they had incurred following the bankruptcy of some high profile grain companies, most notably Ilta Grain. “After successive ...