SARM is adding its voice to the group calling for grain companies to be flexible with farmers facing drought and contract penalties for non-delivery.

President Ray Orb is calling on grain companies to work with farmers to reduce penalties and eliminate administration fees on contracted but undelivered grain for this year.

Orb says stiff penalties only add to the drought faced by producers this year.

The SARM request follows a call from Saskatchewan commodity organizations and APAS for grain companies to work with farmers and eliminate penalties or roll-over contracts to next year.

Meantime, NDP agriculture critic Trent Wotherspoon is calling on the provincial government to recall the legislature.

Wotherspoon wants to pass emergency legislation to ensure farmers can carry over their contracts to future years without incurring unreasonable penalties:

Wotherspoon is also suggesting an independent grain contract arbitration board, with producer representation of 75 percent to quickly resolve grain contract disputes.

He says the province has control over business contracts and some grain companies are flexible while others are not and the province needs to provide a level of protection for farmers.

He says the arbitration board would be temporary to resolve contract disputes.