Fair treatment for Western farmers began 100 years ago

It was more than a century ago but bitter conflict between farmers and the early western Canadian grain industry still resonates in the childhood memories of old-timers like Harvey English. “It was highway robbery. That’s what it was in those days,” says English, 94. “They were just stealing everything off the farmer that they could

Marking a century of service

To survive a century is quite an achievement. But our longevity is not what is noteworthy, as you will see as you read about our past. No, our true achievement is our role in the growth of the Canadian grain industry. For 100 years, we have collaborated with Canadian grain producers and other members of


Foreign traders vying for piece of North American grain-handling sector

The urgency to operate in the United States or Canada has grown because of increasing global demand for crops

For decades, the world’s leading grain traders like Cargill and Bunge enjoyed an unparalleled advantage: their smaller North American competitors lacked the flexibility and diversity of a global operation, and their foreign rivals lacked access to the biggest and most stable exporters in the world. That’s about to change. Large U.S. and Canadian grain companies



Canadian Wheat Board seen gaining grain-handling deals

Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Feb. 27 he is confident the Canadian Wheat Board will strike agreements with grain handlers to allow it to start buying farmers’ 2012 crops for future delivery. As of Aug. 1, the wheat board plans to continue buying and selling upcoming crops, even though farmers will be no longer



Git ‘r done Grain Growers urges

The Canadian Wheat Board will offer new crop-pricing options soon, spokesperson Maureen Fitzhenry said in an interview Feb. 22, but she declined to specify a date, nor say when the board expects to finalize agreements with companies to handle grain on its behalf. “It’s still our hope that we’ll be able to do something very

Grain-handling history available online

A train rushes across the Prairies, taking rail cars of grain from country elevators to terminal elevators at Thunder Bay, Ontario. It’s a scene that could be from any year. But this train is a steam engine and the year is 1955, as seen in the documentary “Grain Handling in Canada” which is available for


Wheat board signs first handling agreement with Cargill

It took awhile, but the Canadian Wheat Board announced its first handling agreement with a grain company last week and promises more to come. “These are important negotiations so we’re working through them carefully and meticulously,” Dave Simonot, the board’s director of Farm Services told farmers attending the Deerwood Soil and Water Management Association’s annual

Impact of downed Brazil grains loader looms

Sao Paulo / Reuters/ A ship that collided with the main grain terminal at Brazil’s Santos Port could reduce corn and soybean exports from the South American country. There are fears that if repairs at the Guaruja Grain Terminal at Santos drag on into March, Brazil exports will fall far enough to push up world