(CPR.ca)

Grain freight minimums beneficial, but not seen as best solution

CNS Canada –– The Canadian government’s decision to extend its order-in-council requiring a minimum tonnage of grain shipped by the two major railways each week will benefit the ag industry — but it’s not the best solution out there, according to some participants. “Extending the minimum volume requirements through the coming winter and spring season […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Mandatory minimum grain handle extended

A new order-in-council will extend the federal government’s mandatory minimum weekly grain handle for Canada’s big two railways through March, just as the previous order expires. Federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz on Saturday announced the mandatory minimums, which expired Saturday, are extended until March 28, 2015. The new order, however, adjusts the […] Read more


(GreatWesternRail.com)

Shortlines shortchanged in Western Canada

CNS Canada — Western Canada’s shortline railways are getting the short end of the stick as they struggle to meet their own commitments moving grain and other products along their tracks. A backlog of grain on the Prairies over the past winter, linked in part to poor rail movement, prompted the federal government to implement […] Read more

Perverse incentives in the system

Speakers at the Grain Handling and Transportation Summit discussed 
incentives, regulations and grain transportation system bottlenecks

Perverse incentives” within the transportation system make solutions unlikely under current regulations, a farmer told industry at a recent grain transportation summit. Currently there’s no one with an interest in collective service issues that affect farmers, Ian McCreary told delegates at Saskatoon’s Grain Handling and Transportation Summit in March. McCreary farms near Bladworth, Sask., and […] Read more


Guenther: Wheat + Chaff

Guenther: Wheat + Chaff

Editor’s note: I am still the editor of Grainews, but I’ve given this page over to our field editor Lisa Guenther for this issue. As you saw on our cover, Lisa’s been looking into the transportation fiasco. She has some well-researched, timely opinions that I wanted to highlight at the very front. — Leeann Minogue […] Read more