Final answer:
True, the Great Western Sugar Company could have collected damages if the trucker had breached the contract by not showing up to haul beets before the specified date, potentially leading to legal action for recovery of losses.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the trucker had stopped showing up to haul beets before February 15, the date specified in the contract with the Great Western Sugar Company, then the company could have sought damages for breach of contract.
In contract law, when one party fails to fulfill their obligations as outlined in the contract by the agreed date, the other party is typically entitled to seek damages. This principle applies to the situation with the Great Western Sugar Company and the trucker.
If the trucker ceased to provide services before the specified date without a valid legal excuse or mutual agreement to terminate the contract early, the trucker would be in breach of contract. This would allow the Great Western Sugar Company to take legal action to recover any losses they may have incurred as a result of the trucker's failure to perform the contract as agreed.