Earlier this week, the Federal Government extended the term of Chief Commissioner Doug Chorney to April 30, 2024.
Chorney's three-year term was set to expire this month.
He moved into the role of acting chief commissioner in June of 2020 and was officially appointed to the role in December of 2020.
Stewart Wells, a member of the National Farmers Union says it's still a little unclear as to what may happen as no other names have been mentioned for the role.
"It's impossible to know the mind of the government at this point, but we thought it was just important to reiterate how important that position actually is to farmers. The Grain Commission is there to bring fairness, transparency, confidence, and order to Canada's grain sector. And it's really important to have a commissioner in that position who's going to respect the act and respect the mandate of the act. And make sure that fairness and transparency and confidence is actually there for the benefit of farmers."
He notes the Grain Commission's mandate is to, in the interests of grain producers establish and maintain standards of quality for Canadian grain and regulate grain handling in Canada.
"The Grain Commission has been such a stabilizing force and a window into the grain trade. And without the grain commission in place, the few companies that are left out in the countryside, the grain handling companies would just be free to make all the rules around grading and grains, weights, inspections, and all that kind of thing. The grain Commission has always been a burr in the saddle of the grain companies right from over 100 years ago, going back to 1912. But it was really just in the last 10 years that the grain companies have become bold enough to outright say in public that they don't want the grain commission involved in grain grading, weighing, or inspections. They would rather it wasn't there."
Well says it's just an indication of the extra power and control that those grain companies want.
Source : Pembinavalley online