Saskatchewan’s G3 Pasqua terminal is being recognized for its high volumes, efficient loading, and strong commitment to safety, as the recipient of Canadian Pacific’s Elevator of the Year Award.

“CP is proud to recognize G3 Pasqua with Elevator of the Year for the 2018-2019 crop year,” says Joan Hardy, CP vice-president sales and marketing grain and fertilizers. “Their participation in CP’s Dedicated Train Program, 8,500-foot model capable track, and consistent and safe loading won them this year’s award. I congratulate G3 and the staff at the Pasqua elevator for their hard work and dedication to safety.”

The elevator, located outside of Moose Jaw, Sask. opened its doors in 2016. It’s where CP launched its first 8,500-foot High-Efficiency Product (HEP) train, comprised of new, highly efficient hoppers cars, back in December 2018.

“G3 is setting new standards for the fast, safe movement of grain across our network,” says Don Chapman, G3 CEO.

“We’re very proud of our team at G3 Pasqua for their achievement and grateful to CP for recognizing it with this award.”

The inaugural award was presented in April 2019 to Southwest Terminal near Gull Lake, Sask., for the 2018 calendar year. CP has since modified the award presentation to align with the crop year, which runs from Aug. 1 – July 31.

The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) and Les Producteurs de bovins du Québec (PBQ) are calling on federal party leaders to include, as a first priority in the mandate of the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food, a beef cattle investment and assistance program to help farmers in Ontario and Quebec mitigate the harm of recent trade and market disruptions.

In a backgrounder, the organizations say, “while the economic opportunity from export markets has reached record significance, growing trade and market disruption challenges are becoming unmanageable for beef farmers and severely hampering the viability and sustainability of the beef sector,” adding that trade deal vehicles, such as CETA, haven’t delivered on promised benefits due to “on-going trade barriers related to Canada’s domestic meat inspection and processing system.”

The Ontario and Quebec beef producer groups explain even as Canadian producers and processors have been unable to capitalize on European market access, European exports to Canada are increasing, displacing locally produced product.

“The loss of key export markets in China and Saudi Arabia, combined with reduced processing capacity in Eastern Canada and market access challenges in the U.S. and the E.U., has created a perfect storm,” says BFO president, Joe Hill. “Beef farmers have incurred losses of more than $180 per animal since the beginning of January, largely as a result of government action and inaction. Collective beef cattle farm losses in the two provinces have exceeded $100 million since the start of the year. On the cattle feeding side alone, the industry is losing more than $2.5 million per week on average, which is simply not sustainable. Something needs to be done.”

The two organizations point to recent government payouts to the supply managed sectors to “offset losses incurred or expected as a result of recent trade agreements and disruptions through direct compensation payments, infrastructure assistance, and quota value protection.”

The beef sector deserves an equitable level of support and assistance proportionate to the harm beef farmers have received, the groups say.

In addition, issues within the industry that the groups would like addressed in a program include:

• Too few processors placing bids on cattle to ensure a competitive, healthy market;
• Processors are running at or near capacity as a result of an influx of dairy cull cows, a healthy supply of fed beef cattle, and reduced marketing options south of the border; and
• Periods of backlog in processing are becoming more frequent and severe, requiring farmers to feed cattle at increased cost for longer periods. When processing space is eventually secured, farmers are then penalized for overweight animals.
• Reduced funding for  Business Risk Management (BRM) programs