maximum revenue entitlement Archives - Page 2 of 2

Calls for a review of railway costs

Some farm groups suspect producers are paying more than was originally intended under the maximum revenue entitlement

By Allan Dawson May 26, 2017

When the railways start replacing hopper cars as expected if the Transportation Modernization Act becomes law, western farmers will pay more, in total, to ship grain to export. That’s because the maximum revenue entitlement (MRE) will be adjusted to pass on the purchase costs to shippers and ultimately farmers. Most farm and shipper groups agree

CN Rail vice-president of bulk commodities, Doug MacDonald, met with a group of farmers representing the Alberta Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and Keystone Agricultural Producers at the Port of Vancouver last week to discuss ways to improve the grain-handling and transportation system.

News

Prairie farm leaders meet CN Rail in Vancouver

It was an attempt to build bridges and ultimately improve grain shipping, but farmers remain unclear about the impact the MRE is having on car replacements

By Allan Dawson November 24, 2016

Prairie farm leaders praised CN Rail for agreeing to meet here last week to discuss ways to improve Western Canada’s grain-handling and transportation system. “I was impressed with the openness of CN,” Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) president Dan Mazier said in an interview (watch a video interview further down). “I think they were genuine today.”

University of Manitoba supply chain professor, Barry Prentice says the maximum revenue entitlement is bad for farmers as well as the railways.

Crops, News

MRE counterpoint claims system hurts everyone

VIDEO: Barry Prentice says the MRE is bad for western grain farmers and the railways

By Allan Dawson November 16, 2016

Western grain farmers and the railways would be better off if the maximum revenue entitlement (MRE) was scrapped, according to Barry Prentice, an agricultural economist and professor of supply chain management at the University of Manitoba. “Farmers may be losing more on (grain) prices (because Canada is seen as an unreliable supplier) than they ever

Grain shippers of all types are heralding promised changes to the transportation regulatory environment announced Nov. 3 by Transport Minister Marc Garneau.

News

Grain sector hails transport reform

But some farm groups worry about the future of the maximum revenue entitlement

By Allan Dawson November 10, 2016

Farm groups, grain shippers, crop processors and supply chain organizations are all praising Transport Minister Marc Garneau’s plan to make Canada’s grain transportation system more competitive. But some farm groups are uneasy about the future of the maximum revenue entitlement (MRE). Speaking to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal Nov. 3 Garneau announced legislation

News

Scrapping maximum revenue entitlement will double farmers’ freight bill

Agricultural economist Derek Brewin concludes the MRE works for farmers  and the railways and has resulted in a more efficient system

By Allan Dawson November 4, 2016

Western Canadian farmers will pay the railways at least double what they do now to ship grain if the maximum revenue entitlement (MRE) is phased out as recommended in the Emerson Report. “The increase is somewhere between 100 and 150 per cent in real rates if we remove the MRE,” University of Manitoba agricultural economist

Crops

Cost index for railways’ grain revenue cap gets boost

By GFM Network News, Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 29, 2016

The loonie’s decline since last year has led federal regulators to dial up the index guiding how much money Canada’s big two railways get to keep from hauling Prairie grain. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) announced Friday it will raise its volume-related composite price index (VRCPI) by 4.8 per cent, to 1.3275, for the 2016-17

News

More farm groups pan CTA review panel report

It’s thumbs down from the NFU, SaskWheat, SaskBarley and APAS

By Allan Dawson March 10, 2016

The National Farmers Union (NFU), and a coalition of Saskatchewan farm groups, are disappointed with a report prepared by the panel that reviewed the Canadian Transportation Act. “The CTA review was carried out by the previous government’s appointees, and its results predictably reflect an alignment with CN, CP and the multinational grain companies regarding grain

A wheat train pulls up next to a cargo ship at the Alliance Grain Terminal in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Opinion

Editorial: Long wait, more rhetoric

By Laura Rance-Unger March 3, 2016

A long-awaited report by the panel reviewing the Canadian Transportation Act will disappoint those in the grains sector looking for more accountability in the system that moves their crop to market. The report “Pathways: Connecting Canada’s Transportation System to the World” is the result of an accelerated review of the federal legislation. The scheduled review

Cereals, Opinion

Editorial: Shedding light on the heated debate of grain freight rates

By Laura Rance-Unger August 4, 2015

One of the most heated farm policy debates of late has been over the fate of the maximum revenue entitlement (MRE) keeping a lid on grain freight rates. In the debate that emerged from the abysmal railway performance through the winter of 2013-14, axing the MRE has increasingly been portrayed as a quid pro quo

Crops

Cost index trimmed for railways’ grain revenue cap

By GFM Network News, Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 30, 2015

A sharper-than-expected drop in fuel costs has led federal regulators to dial back the index that decides how much money railways get to keep from hauling Prairie grain. The Canadian Transportation Agency on announced Thursday it will cut its volume-related composite price index (VRCPI) by 5.6 per cent, to 1.2517, for the 2015-16 crop year.

Daily Network News

Canadian Agricultural HR Council gets federal funds for workforce development tools

Farm groups call on agriculture minister to pause federal research cuts

Feed grains weekly: Prices bump up

Tag Archives maximum revenue entitlement

Calls for a review of railway costs

Prairie farm leaders meet CN Rail in Vancouver

MRE counterpoint claims system hurts everyone

Grain sector hails transport reform

Scrapping maximum revenue entitlement will double farmers’ freight bill

Cost index for railways’ grain revenue cap gets boost

More farm groups pan CTA review panel report

Editorial: Long wait, more rhetoric

Editorial: Shedding light on the heated debate of grain freight rates

Cost index trimmed for railways’ grain revenue cap

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