Agriculture minister David Marit is asking Ottawa to take quick action to end a strike at CN Rail.

Marit says now is a critical time to move grain to market before winter.

Marit is asking Ottawa to resolve the dispute if the two sides cannot reach an agreement quickly.

Marit says farmers have the second biggest crop at over 37 million tons despite one of the worst fall harvest weather in decades.

Farm leaders have also called for a quick end to the dispute.

APAS president Todd Lewis, SARM president Ray Orb, and Western Wheat Growers chair Jim Wickett have called for a rapid end to the labor disruption.

The executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association, Wade Sobkowich, has also called on Ottawa to bring a swift end to the CN strike.