Western Grain Elevator Association Archives - Page 12 of 16

Feds extend railway grain-shipping targets

Most of the industry supports the move, but millers fear it will lead to domestic changes

By Allan Dawson December 4, 2014

Ottawa’s last-minute decision to continue setting grain-shipping targets for the railways until March 28, 2015 has the support of western elevator companies and most farm groups, but not Canadian millers. “It’s good news that they are keeping the spotlight on grain transportation for this winter period,” Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator

Cereals, Crops, National news

Farmers, grain companies want federal government to continue railway shipping targets

Ritz’s office says he and the transport minister haven’t made a decision yet

By Allan Dawson November 6, 2014

Farm groups and grain companies said last week their grain transportation woes are far from over as the federal government considers whether to keep or lift minimum movement orders for the railways. In an emailed statement Oct. 31, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s office appeared to backtrack from a news story earlier in the week saying

Cereals, National news

Will railways be fined $100,000 a week instead of daily?

Ottawa isn’t saying, but the Canada Transportation Act states fines apply ‘per violation’

By Allan Dawson October 3, 2014

CN Rail is facing federal fines for failing to meet legislated weekly targets for moving grain — this much is known. But the big question in the grain industry last week was whether those $100,000 fines will be levied per day — as federal officials indicated in press statements last winter — or whether the penalty

If you thought grain-shipping woes were solved, think again, warn grain shippers and flour millers. photo: allan dawson

Cereals, Crops, News

Grain shippers: Worried about a repeat of poor railway performance

The railways say there hasn’t been enough grain to move to  meet their government-mandated thresholds

By Allan Dawson September 25, 2014

Ottawa has ordered the railways to move at least 526,250 tonnes of grain a week and there’s a smaller crop so there should be no worries about getting this year’s crop to market, right? Wrong. “Yes, we’re nervous about it,” Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA), said in an interview

Cereals, Opinion

Puttin’ on the Ritz: are the railways next?

Gerry Ritz won the wheat board battle, now it’s time for a new challenge

By Allan Dawson August 26, 2014

Gerry Ritz slew the Canadian Wheat Board, but can he rein in the railways? If anyone can, it’s Canada’s 33rd minister of agriculture. It won’t be easy, but neither was ending the wheat board’s 69-year-old monopoly. Ritz had help. Key was Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who had a deep disdain for the board and made

Cereals, Crops, News, Oilseeds

Canola growers take on the railways

A second level-of-service complaint has been filed

By Allan Dawson May 29, 2014

A second legal complaint has been filed alleging the railways provided inadequate grain-shipping service this crop year. And more might be coming. The Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) filed a level-of-service complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) May 26, accusing both Canadian Pacific and Canadian National railways of failing to fulfil their common carrier

Rail cars being loaded with grain at a terminal

Cereals, News

Dreyfus files rail level-of-service complaint, others may follow

Grain is moving but the railways are the ones deciding where it goes

By Allan Dawson May 1, 2014

Louis Dreyfus Commodities has filed a level-of-service complaint against CN Rail with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). It may be one of many as other grain companies contemplate similar action in hopes of recouping losses due to poor rail service for grain this winter. Meanwhile, CN and CP Rail “have met the prescribed (grain-moving) target

Crops

Manitoba grain starting to move to Thunder Bay, ships on the way

Farmers are being warned to get grain into proper storage before the ground thaws

By Allan Dawson April 17, 2014

Grain needs to be moved to safe storage before the spring thaw or it could spoil, warns Digvir Jayas, a grain-handling and storage expert at the University of Manitoba. It’s unknown how much Manitoba grain is stored on the ground, in machine sheds or silo bags instead of conventional bins. The good news is grain

Canadian federal ministers at press conference.

Cereals, Crops, News

Mixed reviews for new rail legislation to improve grain shipping

C-30 doesn’t spell out the service agreements grain companies want, but Ritz says  they can be added through regulation. He also rejects calls for a new GTA

By Allan Dawson April 8, 2014

The Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act — Ottawa’s answer to the issues facing Canada’s grain export system — fell a little flat among the 240 farm and industry leaders’ meeting here last week. While government action on the issue was welcomed, many said the legislation tabled March 26 falls far short of providing the

Cereals, News

Railways cut producer car sites

CP Rail says the points it dropped weren’t being used, but KAP says farmers need more options, not less

By Allan Dawson February 26, 2014

The railways recently cut 19 producer car loading sites across the West even though farmers are using producer cars more than ever as they struggle to get a record crop to market. “If anything we need more producer car sites, not less,” Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) president Doug Chorney said in an interview. “KAP’s policy

Daily Network News

U.S. grains: Chicago grain prices fall amid profit-taking and dollar rebound

U.S. livestock: Cattle fall back as inventory hits 75-year low

Farm family income gains driven by off-farm earnings: StatCan

Tag Archives Western Grain Elevator Association