By Janet Parsons, Chair, Grain Financial Protection Board and Bill McKellor, Chief Inspector, AGRICORP

• Should I give my dealer a few more days? He has always paid me before.
• Will it do more harm than good to call?
• What’s at stake?
• Am I already too late?
• What happens when I notify AGRICORP that I have not been paid for my grain?

These questions are sometimes asked and more often pondered by producers facing the decision to call or not call Bill McKellar, the Chief Inspector at AGRICORP: 1-888-466-2372 ext. 63570.

Should I call?
The answer is yes. Call right away. Dealer/operators know the rules and are aware that if producers don’t call, they may be putting their farms and families financially at risk. If a dealer/operator asks a producer to defer payment (accept post-dated cheques or wait beyond the normal payment period), he knows he is breaking the rules.

A producer making the call about non-payment is protecting the farm and the family. It’s as simple as that. A producer who considers accepting a deferred payment or puts off phoning AGRICORP accepts the consequences, should the Grain Financial Protection Board not approve a claim.

The fundamental question the producer should be asking is “Can I afford to lose this income?”

What makes the decision difficult for a producer is that the dealer/operator is often a friend or neighbour. A producer may feel very uncomfortable about the situation. He may want to explain to the dealer/operator that he feels bad, but can’t afford to risk losing the crop. Cases coming before the board often involve well-respected dealer/operators who have been able to keep going on the strength of smiles, and genuine and apparent friendships. Can you afford to take a chance?

When a producer has not been paid for grain corn, soybeans or canola within 10 trading days of delivery (or the next trading day if the sale is from storage), the producer is obligated to contact the Chief Inspector at AGRICORP as quickly as possible. Similarly, if an elevator operator will not return the stored grain to a producer, then that producer is obligated to call the Chief Inspector. The phone call is extremely important. It may stop the problem from mushrooming. Not only does it protect the caller’s claim, but also protects other producers, who may not yet be involved. And, it ultimately protects the fund and the check-off level.

When you call the Chief Inspector, speak directly to him or leave a voice mail message. You will need to provide details of the transaction in question including the commodity, number of tonnes, the price, the name and address of the dealer/operator, whether it was a cash sale or a sale from storage and the date of the sale or delivery.

Your call enables the Chief Inspector to determine if a problem exists and the need for action. When following up with a dealer/operator, the Chief Inspector does not usually divulge the producer’s name or location. The Chief Inspector may decide to wait a few days to see if your cheque arrives or may have the grain inspector visit the dealer/operator immediately to complete a thorough audit.

Remember:
Your call to the Chief Inspector protects you, should it become necessary for you to make a claim under the Grain Financial Protection Program.

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