Canadian railways report record grain movement, CN announces ag advisory council

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Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and Canadian National Railway (CN) are reporting record breaking years for grain and grain product movement.

CP moves 26.8MMT

For the crop year ending July 31, 2019, Canadian Pacific (CP) moved a record 26.8 million metric tonnes (MMT) of Canadian grain and grain product. It’s a number that surpasses the company’s last record set in 2018 2.8 per cent, and sits 3.9 per cent higher than the three-year average.

Also, for the first time ever, during three consecutive months (September to November, 2018), CP recorded shipping 15,000-plus carloads of western Canadian grain and grain products to the Port of Vancouver. According to a news release, CP also moved approximately 660,000 MT of Canadian grain in its domestic intermodal service, for a grand total greater than 27.4 MMT.

The company has submitted its 2019-2020 Grain Service Outlook Report to Canada’s Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau. The report outlines its plan to move the upcoming crop, including where CP will invest capital to support western Canadian grain movements.

CN sets all-time record, announces agriculture advisory council

It was a record year for CN railway as well. During the same 2018-19 period, the company set an all time record of 27.5 MMT of grain moved in bulk grain hoppers. This is compared to the previous record set back in 2016-17 of 26 MMT. Also to note, CN moved another one MMT of grain by container, bringing the total amount of grain moved for last year to 28.5 MMT.

Announced alongside the previous crop year’s results, the company says it has created an agriculture advisory council comprised of 10 representatives from the ag sector. The purpose of the group is to give advice on its annual grain plan and winter plan. The representatives will also discuss policy issues that impact the ag sector, including but not limited to international trade and regulatory barriers.

Former Saskatchewan Agriculture Deputy Minister and Edenwold farmer Alanna Koch, will serve as chair of the council. Council advisors include:

Dale Eisler, senior policy fellow of the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina; and
Kim McConnell, founder and former CEO of AdFarm.

Other members, by province, include:

Saskatchewan

Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel, Mossbank, director, Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association
Todd Lewis, Gray, president, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan
Jim Wickett, Rosetown, chair, Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association

Manitoba

Fred Greig, Reston, chair, Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association
Paul Orsak, Russell, former director, Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association

Alberta

Dave Bishop, Barons, chair, Alberta Barley Commission, Regional Representative, Alberta Wheat Commission
Jeff Nielsen, Olds, chair, Grain Growers of Canada, Director, Alberta Barley Commission
Bernie Schoorlemmer, Rycroft, former director, Alberta Pulse Growers

British Columbia

Barry Follensbee, Rolla, director, BC Grain Producers Association

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