News

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

In conjunction with the launch of Phosphorus ‘P’ Week (Sept 16-21), two researchers are rolling out a review surrounding the science of phosphorus fertilization under 4R Nutrient Stewardship (Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place).

Focusing on the Northern Great Plains, the review, by Cynthia Grant and Don Flaten, identifies key gaps in knowledge, and priorities for future research on the topic.

“Fortunately, the research that we collected generally shows that most of the P management practices that increase the agronomic efficiency of P use by crops also reduce the environmental risk of P losses,” Grant says.

The initiative is in support of the 4R Research Network, a selection of 9 leading Canadian researchers who quantify the economic, social, and environmental benefits resulting from advanced fertilizer management systems under 4R Nutrient Stewardship

“We and the agriculture industry, in general, want this information to be as widely available as possible so that it can be used by farmers, agronomists, and the general public,” says Flaten.

The review was funded by Fertilizer Canada and the North American 4R Research Fund.

“Fertilizer Canada is committed to bolstering the science behind 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles in a way that is profitable for farmers to meet society’s need for increased food production and to improve the environmental performance of farming practices,” says Garth Whyte, president, and CEO, Fertilizer Canada.

The 42-page review, 4R Management of Phosphorus Fertilizer in the Northern Great Plains: A Review of the Scientific Literature, can be found here.

Amalgamation talks have continued over the past few months for the potential merger of five Manitoba farm groups and come next February, the vote will take place. At the CropConnect conference, held in Winnipeg, Man., members of the Manitoba Corn Growers Association (MCGA), Manitoba Flax Growers Association (MFGA), National Sunflower Association of Canada (NSAC), Winter Cereals Manitoba, Inc. (WCMI) and the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) will be able to vote in-person.

According to a news release, the steering committee comprised of directors from the five organizations with assistance from their legal counsel have drafted bylaws of the potential new organization (NEWCO), as well as a draft of the amalgamation agreement.

“To be open, transparent and provide as much information as possible prior to the vote in February 2020, the steering committee wanted to draft the legal documents with respect to the formation of the new organization,” says Gregg Fotheringham, NSAC president. “The draft bylaws cover topics including the purpose of NEWCO, who are its members, how NEWCO will operate, the duties of its crop committee delegate and board of directors, and how meetings are conducted.”

From now until February 12th, the committee is in hopes that its members read and understand the draft bylaws as “good governance lays the foundation for a highly functional and effective organization.” The group of directors has also reviewed a draft of the amalgamation agreement.

“The amalgamation agreement sets out the terms and means of carrying out the amalgamation,” shares Fred Greig, MWBGA Chair. “To address concerns from members, the agreement includes the provision that NEWCO will invest cash reserves collected by each of the five organizations before the date of amalgamation into research and market development initiatives into the specific crop types it was collected on.”

Myron Krahn, MCGA director, adds, “The draft amalgamation agreement also includes that after the date of amalgamation, NEWCO will make all reasonable efforts to ensure research and market development initiatives relating to each specific crop type be maintained at comparable levels.”

Back in May and June, meetings were held with the Manitoba Farm Products Marketing Council (MFPMC) and the Minister of Agriculture, Ralph Eichler along with his senior staff to provide updates on the potential amalgamation. The MFPMC determined that a vote in favour of amalgamation by the five organizations would be enough to establish the representative nature of the amalgamated organization.

Additional webinars are being planned after harvest to engage with members and answer any questions leading up to the vote in February 2020. Feedback from farmer members can be made directly to Rob Hannam at rob[email protected] or to any of the directors and staff of the five organizations.