Last week’s passage of the 2023 federal budget starts a 90-day countdown toward an 18-month test of expanded interswitching on railways in the three Prairie provinces. Bill C-47, the government’s budget implementation bill — which was first read April 20 in the House of Commons and got third reading in the Senate and royal assent […] Read more
Rail interswitching expansion pilot clears Parliament
Grain handlers to press for plan to be made permanent
Go bigger on interswitching pilot, grain groups urge Ottawa
Railways contend the measure creates inefficiencies, but farm groups say the opposite is true
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farm groups from across the country are asking producers to lobby federal ministers and MPs and urge them to super-size a government proposal for what’s called “extended interswitching.” The measure, part of this spring’s federal budget, essentially gives grain shippers a choice in which railway they deal with, as long as the competitor’s line is […] Read more
Study to look at re-opening abandoned rail line
Reading Time: < 1 minute The province and the Canada Infrastructure Bank are putting up $950,000 to study whether it’s feasible to reopen the rail line between Oyen and Lyalta, near Strathmore, that was abandoned more than a decade ago. “Expanding rail transportation networks presents a tremendous opportunity for east-central Alberta,” Oyen Mayor Doug Jones said in a provincial news […] Read more
Grain producers give railways credit where due
A mild winter has helped keep grain moving with few disruptions, but there are some concerns about containers
Reading Time: 4 minutes In the history of Prairie grain farming, a headline saying farmers are happy with the railways is not seen often, but it’s apt for this crop year. CN recently announced a record-setting February in which it moved more than 2.4 million tonnes of grain from Western Canada that month. CP had similar reasons to boast, […] Read more
U.S. regulator approves CP’s purchase of Kansas City Southern
Two U.S. grain grower groups warn of reduced rail competition
Washington | Reuters — The Surface Transportation Board of the United States said on Wednesday it had approved Canadian Pacific Railway’s US$31 billion acquisition of railroad company Kansas City Southern, with a series of environmental and competition conditions. The board, which oversees U.S. freight railroads, is imposing some requirements on the deal, which was agreed […] Read more
Biden administration makes case for quick Senate vote to avoid rail shutdown
Bill imposing deal on workers clears House
Washington | Reuters — The Biden administration on Thursday urged the U.S. Senate to quickly pass a bill to block a railroad strike, warning that serious economic disruptions could be felt within days. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to approve a bill to impose a tentative contract deal reached in September on […] Read more
Biden says administration engaged in talks to avert U.S. railroad strike
CN's U.S. operations would be affected
Nantucket | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that his administration was involved in negotiations to avert a looming U.S. railroad strike that could shut down supply chains across the country but added that he has not directly engaged on the matter yet. Speaking to reporters outside a fire station on Nantucket […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Renewed agreement puts pressure on corn, wheat
Soy trade focused on Brazil's crop potential
MarketsFarm — A renewed agreement between Russia and Ukraine to allow the latter’s grain to be shipped out of the Black Sea has recently been putting pressure on corn and wheat prices at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Russia and Ukraine, with mediation from the United Nations and Turkey, agreed Nov. 17 to an […] Read more
U.S. grains: Futures slip on rail strike threat, EU wheat talk
U.S. winter crop ratings at lowest since at least 1986
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade grain futures fell on Tuesday, amid growing concern over a possible U.S. rail strike and market speculation that U.S. grain buyers were purchasing European Union wheat, traders said. French wheat sales to China and the prospect of Polish or German wheat being booked in the United States […] Read more
Prairie grain shipping record a hopeful sign, but will it continue?
Elevator association says CN’s record week is encouraging but winter movement must stay strong
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – CN’s record-setting week for moving Prairie grain is impressive but it’s consistency that matters in grain transport, says the Western Grain Elevators Association. “Even an amateur golfer can hit a hole in one once in a while, but the pros hit a good ball consistently,” said Wade Sobkowich, the association’s executive director. […] Read more