crop spraying

Check inputs to ensure they’re customer approved

Manipulator, a plant growth regulator recently registered for wheat in Canada, 
hasn’t been approved in the United States yet

End-users and regulators are literally putting your grain under the microscope, measuring residues in the parts per trillion. That puts the onus on farmers to deliver grain that meets their standards or risk rejection. So, before applying inputs farmers should consult agri-retailers and grain buyers about what products markets are accepting and follow label directions

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Transport Minister Lisa Raitt

Ottawa drops minimum rail shipping order

Permanent 
improvements to grain transportation must come from the Canada Transportation Act review

The federal government’s order-in-council requiring the two major railways to ship a minimum amount of grain has expired, but can be reinstated if required, says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. The first order last March compelled the railways to ship one million tonnes in total per week or face a fine of up to $100,000 a


Stephen Harper in a discussion at a conference

Harper says railways can’t be allowed to misuse market power

The order-in-council requiring minimum grain movement expires at the end of March

Western Canadian farmers and grain companies have a new supporter for their argument that the railways have too much market power — Prime Minister Stephen Harper, no less. A year after the Canadian cabinet in an unprecedented move passed an order-in-council requiring Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) railways to ship a weekly minimum

Canada - U.S. border crossing

Everything you ever wanted to know about shipping grain to the U.S.

Online publication includes info on weight restrictions, phytosanitary certificates and more

Canadian and American grain companies have a new resource to assist them when buying or transhipping grain to or through each other’s countries. The goal is to expedite grain trading between the two nations and beyond following the elimination of the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk. “We’ve seen all sorts of border challenges in other


Gerry Ritz, Canada's agriculture minister

Commercial feed mills to be covered by CGC security

When governing the grain commission Gerry Ritz says ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’

If Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz gets his way, farmers who sell to feed mills will be protected under the proposed Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) producer payment security program. “My direction to them (CGC) is find a way to incorporate feed mills,” Ritz said in an interview Jan. 9. “The direction is, yes, they will be

railways cars at an inland grain terminal

Railways fined for failing to move enough grain

Farmers and grain companies say the fines are too small relative to the cost of delivery delays

Canada’s two national railways have been fined for not meeting federal targets for grain shipments, but not as much as farmers and grain companies say is warranted. CN Rail said in a statement it will pay its $100,000 for two violations “and move forward,” while CP Rail will contest a $50,000 fine for a single


railway grain cars

CN Rail over, CP under 2013-14 Maximum Revenue Entitlement

The railways moved 38.76 million tonnes of western grain to export ports — the most ever since 2000-01


It cost western Canadian grain farmers, on average, $33.69 a tonne to ship grain by rail during the 2013-14 crop year, down 30 cents a tonne from the crop year before. And, as was the case in 2012-13, one railway was slightly over and the other slightly under the statutory Maximum Revenue Entitlement (MRE), also

Manitoba farmer

Should farmers pay for protection against grain company defaults?

The Canadian Grain Commission has proposed setting up a security fund paid for by grain companies, 
but Rob Brunel says Ontario’s farmer-funded model has merit

Rob Brunel knows farmers aren’t keen on more checkoffs, but the Ste. Rose du Lac farmer believes that’s the best way to replace the Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) current security program. “My preference has been to set up something like Ontario has,” the chair of Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) Grains and Oilseeds Committee said in


Elwin Hermanson, Canadian Grain Commission chief commissioner

Canadian Grain Commission to review wheat class system

Wheat classes serve Canada’s grain industry well, but chief commissioner 
Elwin Hermanson wants to see how they can be improved

The Canadian Grain Commission is planning to review this country’s respected wheat variety classification system to see how it can best meet the needs of customers while adapting to a wider range of varietal qualities. Chief commissioner Elwin Hermanson told the Manitoba Seed Growers Association annual meeting Dec. 11 the review is about improving the

Scrap the cap and the railways will do a better job moving western grain, says Barry Prentice, an agricultural economist and professor at the University of Manitoba’s Transport Institute.

Scrap the cap and the railways will move more grain

The University of Manitoba’s Barry Prentice says ‘Soviet’-style regulations 
make for a less efficient western grain-handling and transportation system

The railways would do a better job moving western Canadian grain if the revenue cap was scrapped, allowing the free market to work, says Barry Prentice, an agricultural economist and professor at the University of Manitoba’s Transport Institute. “I wonder why on earth do we have a government… holding up the case for capitalism… dealing