The grain handler built out from the foundations of the former Prairie pools is set to be absorbed into one of the world’s biggest grain trading firms in a cash-and-stock deal. After the news leaked out last month, Rotterdam-based Viterra confirmed Tuesday morning it’s “concluded an agreement” to merge into Bunge — the St. Louis-based […] Read more
Bunge, Viterra confirm marriage plans
Firms to merge under Bunge banner
Bunge, Viterra merger would create global ag trading giant
Companies have some overlap in Canadian crushing
Reuters — A merger of U.S. grains merchant Bunge Ltd. with rival Viterra would grow the combined entity’s businesses in the U.S., Brazil and Australia and may raise competition concerns in parts of Canada and Argentina, where key oilseed processing assets overlap, analysts said. Sources last week said Bunge and Viterra were in talks for […] Read more
Selling to an unlicensed grain buyer
Reading Time: < 1 minute There are factors to consider before selling to an unlicensed grain buyer if you have production insurance, says Alberta Financial Services Corp. The provincial crop insurer says it will only accept “receipted grade” on sales from buyers who have a primary elevator or a terminal elevator licence from the Canadian Grain Commission. Before selling to […] Read more
Shallow Mississippi River expected to persist as dry winter hits U.S. South
River levels at historic lows this fall
Reuters — Low water levels on the Mississippi River are likely to persist this winter as drier-than-normal weather is expected across the southern U.S. and Gulf Coast, U.S. government forecasters said on Thursday. Drought, which currently spans 59 per cent of the country, is expected to continue or worsen in the middle and lower Mississippi […] Read more
Railways in the spotlight as shipping season begins
CN and CP say they’ll get the job done but shippers and farmers are concerned
Reading Time: 4 minutes Another chapter in the great Canadian rail transport soap opera may be unfolding. The tempestuous couple — railroads and grain farmers — is on the cusp of another argument over harvest shipping. And there’s no alternative for producers. They’re locked into the relationship. Will CN Rail and CP Rail, which struggled to move a 49-million […] Read more
CN releases 2022-23 grain plan
More high-capacity cars, locomotives, staff included in plan
Reading Time: < 1 minute CN Rail published its 2022-23 grain plan July 29 in which it describes preparations for moving a western Canadian grain crop expected to rebound from last year’s drought-reduced harvest. Plan details include the addition of 57 high-horsepower locomotives, new rolling stock and 500 additional employees to bolster operating crews in Western Canada. More high-capacity grain […] Read more
Large bins may be too large when it comes to drying canola
Bins hold a lot more these days, and that makes it challenging to push air through small seeds like canola
Reading Time: 3 minutes When is a grain bin too big to allow for proper drying? When it comes to canola, leading researchers may now have an idea. The Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute (PAMI) found that commonly used conditioning fans stall when canola is piled too high in a tall grain bin. Adding an extra fan in parallel didn’t […] Read more
CP to lock out engineers, conductors starting Sunday
'Cannot prolong the uncertainty,' CEO says
Canadian Pacific Railway has served its unionized engineers, conductors and train and yard service staff with notice of a lockout to start just after midnight ET on Sunday, unless the company and union agree on a new labour deal by then. Calgary-based CP and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents about 3,000 CP […] Read more
Spring road bans coming into effect across Prairies
MarketsFarm — Warming temperatures and melting snow across Western Canada may cause some disruptions to grain and livestock movement over the next few weeks as seasonal spring road restrictions come into effect across the Prairies. Annual spring road restrictions set axle weight limits for vehicles moving on certain roads, in an effort to reduce the […] Read more
Rail service is poor, but better days are on the horizon, says expert
Delivery of hopper cars is a concern, but recovery is expected and long-term outlook is good
Reading Time: 3 minutes Rail service is poor right now, but things will get better — in both the short and longer term, says a leading expert on grain transportation. CN Rail has been particularly poor when it comes to delivering hopper cars requested by grain companies, hitting a low of only 24 per cent during one week in […] Read more
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