Reading Time: 4 minutes Turns out farmers aren’t the only ones with a beef with Canada’s railways — operators of West Coast ports say inadequate rail service is holding them back, too. Sylvan Lake farmer Michael Ammeter was one of 11 producers and grain industry representatives who toured ports in Portland, Vancouver, and Prince Rupert for five days in […] Read more
West Coast terminals have a beef with railways, too
Producers who recently toured terminal elevators say every official they met said railways are the bottleneck in the system
Alberta farm leader says rail system fix is on track
Ordering the railways to move more grain has grabbed the spotlight, but Kent Erickson says newly enacted legislation will bring long-term gains
Reading Time: 3 minutes New federal rail legislation is the first major step in building a sustainable and reliable rail transportation system, says the chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. But in the meantime, extending an order-in-council that penalizes the railways if they fail to move a million tonnes of grain a week is the best short-term fix, said […] Read more
Are Prairie farmers still keen to move grain?
Canadian Grain Commission data shows deliveries to elevators have slowed considerably
Reading Time: 3 minutes The pace at which the handling and transportation system has been able to move grain off the Prairies and into export markets this spring has almost certainly exceeded all expectations. But the data through to late July has raised a new question: Are Prairie farmers still keen to move all the exceptional 2013 harvest? What’s […] Read more
Grain commission moves producer car administration online
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farmers can now administer their producer cars online. A new web application at the Canadian Grain Commission website means producers can arrange for credit for shipping charges with railways and pay freight costs. A producer may choose to work with an administrator or agent, who can arrange for credit for shipping charges with railways and […] Read more
Double whammy for oat growers as railways focus on West Coast backlog
Virtually all of the Prairie oat harvest goes to the U.S., but growers say shipping south isn’t even on the radar of the railways
Reading Time: 3 minutes The clogged rail system is affecting every grain producer on the Prairies, but oats growers are feeling additional pain. Market analyst Randy Strychar has called the situation a “train wreck,” noting some companies aren’t putting out bids until February 2015. “It’s not out of line to say that we’re probably one of the worst-hit crops,” […] Read more
Push comes to shove — railways ordered to double grain movement
The federal government is promising a legislated fix to ensure railway performance
Reading Time: 4 minutes The railways have their marching orders — double grain shipments in four weeks or face daily fines of up to $100,000. But what happens next? Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says new federal legislation is coming, and farmers and grain companies are hoping it will do what the Fair Freight Service Act of 2012 didn’t — […] Read more
Production shortfalls and transportation woes could result in nitrogen shortage
Experts say there’s still time to close the supply gap, but farmers should be talking to their suppliers about booking their orders
Reading Time: 3 minutes Concern is mounting as transportation and production issues point to a serious shortage of nitrogen supplies this spring. “If it was April, I would be panicking,” said Brian Kenyon, director of sales and marketing with Yara Canada. However, even though nitrogen shipments to Western Canada are down by an estimated 750,000 to one million tonnes […] Read more
Producers urged to lobby feds over railway delays
Grain Growers of Canada urges members to turn up the heat on Ottawa to take action and push the railways to move more grain
Reading Time: 2 minutes Grain Growers of Canada is urging producers across the country to join forces in lobbying their members of Parliament for changes to the broken grain transportation system. The group is urging farmers to call their MP and talk about “the rail service issues that are personally affecting you and your farm.” “This is certainly a […] Read more
Clogged rail network could impact last-minute fertilizer deliveries
The fertilizer bill should be lower this year, but the transportation system may not be able to accommodate a late surge in delivery orders
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cash flow or storage concerns causing you to hold off on booking fertilizer? That could be a costly move if you wait too long. “With the way the commodities have tailed off in the last few months, some guys may be looking to push (fertilizer purchases) back a bit due to cash flow concerns,” said […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
