Crop quality looks good this year across Prairies

SASKATOON — The Canada Post strike came at the most inopportune time for the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program.

“Due to the mail strike, we are quite a bit behind on where we would normally be with the amount of samples we have received,” said Derek Bunkowsky, the chief grain inspector for Canada.

The program had received 2,800 samples as of Oct. 14, well below the approximately 10,000 that would have arrived in a normal year.

“Obviously it would be nicer to have a better picture with more samples, for sure,” he said.

Postal workers were back on the job Oct. 14 despite no renewed collective agreement, but mail service will still be disrupted or delayed by rotating strikes.

The CGC has made arrangements for farmers to drop off samples at grain elevators that are members of the Western Grain Elevator Association.