Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley — along with many other farm groups — are praising the federal transport minister for accepting several amendments to his transport modernization bill. Now they want Marc Garneau to get working and ensure the bill is passed before Parliament’s summer break. Read more: Farmers seek ‘urgent’ action from Senate on rail […] Read more
Transport minister wins praise for agreeing to amendments
The federal transport minister will put forward a motion to accept Senate alterations to the bill
Farm leaders again ask government to act
But with spring road bans and seeding season approaching, any moves are likely ‘too little, too late’
Reading Time: 3 minutes “Too little too late.” That comment from the president of the Grain Growers of Canada likely sums it up for many producers across the Prairies. “While western grain farmers are pleased to see that the government and railways have recognized the negative impact that poor rail service is having on farmers, it shouldn’t take a […] Read more
Farmers call for action on grain transportation
Thousands of rail cars haven’t been delivered in what has been the worst performance since the crisis of 2013-14
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farm groups are redoubling their efforts to get the federal Liberals to move Canadian grain — but their pleas appear to be falling on deaf ears. Olds-area farmer Jeff Nielsen travelled with other farm leaders to Ottawa at the start of the month in a bid to get the government to crack a whip and […] Read more
Farmers once again railing against slow grain movement
Slow grain movement this winter is bringing back bad memories for many
Reading Time: 5 minutes Despite recent improvements to rail transportation in Canada, farmers are still forced to rely on a largely unreliable system. “Rail is the backbone of the economy, but it’s also the Achilles heel,” said Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum Corporation. The 2016-17 crop year was one for the books. Despite a slow start, the system set […] Read more
Transport act delay could be costly
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Wheat Commission is concerned grain transportation in Canada is being put at risk with the failure to pass Bill C-49, The Transportation Modernization Act, prior to Christmas. The delay in Senate approval of the legislation until the New Year could mean serious repercussions for farmers since they ultimately bear the cost of delayed shipments, […] Read more
Russia to boost grain transport subsidies in 2018
Moscow | Reuters — Russia will spend two billion roubles (C$43 million) in grain transportation subsidies to help to speed exports in 2018, the deputy agriculture minister said on Thursday. Already among the world’s largest wheat exporters, Russia is trying to step up a gear after this year’s record crop, which is keeping its grain […] Read more
China to subsidize grain transportation, storage
Beijing | Reuters — China plans to subsidize grain transportation and storage facilities in the latest push by Beijing to modernize the world’s largest agriculture sector. Beijing will subsidize projects upgrading or building facilities to load and receive grains along main railways and ports for major waterways including the Yangtze and Pearl rivers, a document […] Read more
Mixed reactions from farm groups to Bill C-49 progress
Commodity News Service Canada – Western Canadian producer groups support changes to rail transportation in Canada but vary on support of the latest legislation, Bill C-49. Bill C-49 passed its third reading in the House of Commons Nov. 1 and is now off to the Senate for review. The bill is meant to amend the […] Read more
Farm leaders ‘cautiously optimistic’ about transport bill
Ottawa’s new ‘transportation modernization’ bill addresses key concerns raised during 2013 rail crisis, but has gaps
Reading Time: 4 minutes Anew national transportation bill could leave a major gap in grain movement during the 2017 harvest — particularly in areas captive to one railway, say Alberta farm leaders. “Between Aug. 1 and when this new bill comes into effect, there’s a period where there might be a hole in performance,” said Alberta Canola director Renn […] Read more
Ottawa to keep revenue cap on grain shipments by rail
Ottawa | Reuters — The Canadian government introduced draft legislation on grain transportation on Tuesday that would keep in place a revenue cap on western grain that railways haul for export. The grain revenue cap, or “maximum revenue entitlement” (MRE), has been in place since 2000 and is intended to balance the market power of […] Read more
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