One industry representative says non-grain rail traffic, such as coal and containers, is causing the increase in car cycle times.

Grain rail car cycle times creeping higher

It’s a concern to grain shippers and canola crushers moving oil and meal

Grain is moving well in Western Canada, but rail service for canola oil and meal shippers needs to be more predictable. That was Chris Vervaet’s, executive director of the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association, message to the Fields on Wheels conference Nov. 2 in Winnipeg. Rail service is also inconsistent for crop shippers resulting in an

Unfriendly Manitoba: No sale on used grain dryers to Keystone province

Manitoba may be one of the hardest provinces to set up a used grain dryer in and critics say the interpretation of rules is the problem

A tough harvest meant plenty of demand for used grain dryers in Manitoba this fall, but A.R.K. New-Tech Ltd. wasn’t selling. At least, it wasn’t selling in Manitoba. Adrien Caillier, president of the Manitou company, says they have stepped back from selling used grain dryers in their home province, although they are more than happy


Editorial: Volatility likely to linger

When you are as dependent on exports as Canadian farmers, the ability to weather volatile markets has to be part of the business plan. The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance says Canada exports half of the beef and cattle produced, 70 per cent of its soybeans, 70 per cent of its pork production, 75 per cent




Farmers have long sown saved seed, but that could start coming with a price tag under two proposed royalty systems.

Royalty shift could equal more costly seed for farmers

Proposal proponents tout farmer access to better varieties because of market incentives

Nobody likes paying more. But it’s also often said you get what you pay for. That’s the dilemma facing Canadian farmers being consulted about new options for paying higher royalties on cereal and pulse seed. It’s said those royalties will encourage foreign and domestic investment in variety development, which supporters of the options say will


(File photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canola futures continue their slide

CNS Canada – Canola futures slid to their lowest levels in 15 months during the week ended Nov. 9, but managed to uncover some support to the downside and could be consolidating. While off-the combine deliveries were slowing down with the advent of winter, the commercial pipeline is still filled with recently harvested canola supplies.

Social media via a particular president served up a short term spike in canola markets on Nov. 1.

A tweet spikes the canola market

President Donald Trump’s revelation of a trade discussion with China caused brief excitement

The canola market started the week in a dismal situation, but that all changed Nov. 1 when a tweet sent the commodity markets flying. However, by the next day the canola market corrected and finished the week lower overall. South American seeding and the ongoing trade war between China and the United States saw the



Photo: iStock

Fair weather welcome for harvest wrap-up in Sask.

CNS Canada – Thanks to good weather during the last half of October 99 per cent of Saskatchewan’s crop has been harvested according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s final Crop Report of 2018. However, snow and rain in early November has delayed the harvest of the remaining crops such as flax and oats, but producers hope to