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By Alice McFarlane

Adjustments to the Harvest Sample program

Postal strike impacts CGC sample program

Oct 9, 2025 | 10:35 AM

Farmers participating in the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) Harvest Sample Program may need to find other ways to submit their grain if Canada’s current postal strike drags on.

According to the program’s official website, the CGC said the strike has caused mail delays with the program.

Farmers can deliver their samples directly to the CGC, either at their head office in downtown Winnipeg, another CGC office or service centre, or another approved drop-off site.

Service centres are located in B.C. (Prince Rupert), Alberta (Calgary), Saskatchewan (Saskatoon and Weyburn), Manitoba (Churchill), Ontario (Thunder Bay and Hamilton), and Québec (Baie-Comeau and Québec City).

Western and eastern regional offices can be found in Vancouver and Montréal.

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Drop-off sites have been arranged at BroadGrain Commodities at Dafoe, Sask., Bunge at Lethbridge County and Sakai Spice at Lethbridge. All Paterson grain elevators in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba are accepting samples

Farmers may also choose to keep their sample until the strike ends.

The cross-country Harvest Sample Program is a voluntary initiative for testing a host of quality factors across a range of crops.

For each sample, inspectors provide unofficial grade and quality results at no charge, including falling number for wheat and rye; Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol or DON) levels for wheat, corn, barley and oats; and dockage assessment on canola and mustard seed.

Also included is protein content on barley, beans, chickpeas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat; oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola; oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed; and oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans.

A full list, phone numbers and addresses can be found on the CGC’s webpage through the Government of Canada website.

The last day to mail samples is Nov. 30 while Dec. 31 is the last chance for any samples to be included in this year’s Harvest Sample Program.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com