THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014
VOL. 92 | NO. 4 | $4.25
Crop production show coverage: P 4-5
Canola rotations, premiums for oil content
P 6-8
Pulse, flax and mustard outlooks
P 14-15 Long-term weather outlook, canola levy P 28-36 Pea varieties, soybeans, flax, debt repayment, mustard research, canola outlook
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TRANSPORTATION | RAIL SERVICE
Rail service gets Ottawa’s ear Parliament to hear complaints | Car shortages, unsatisfactory service cause food supply issues BY BARRY WILSON OTTAWA BUREAU
As Parliament opens a new session next week, the government can expect political pressure over inadequate rail service that has left many prairie farmers unable to deliver their crop. Grain Growers of Canada wrote a letter to the minister last week urging the Conservative government to “seriously assess the evolving rail capacity issues for Canadian farmers and provide recommendations for alleviating (our) concerns.” The concerns included significant farmer income loss, increased costs and an impact on food manufactur-
ers unable to obtain the grain feed stocks they need. “Rail service is beginning to have an effect on the national food supply, too, as millers, food manufacturers and maltsters are receiving unsatisfactory service and real shortages moving grain to plants and then to market.” Meanwhile, New Democratic Party opposition agriculture critic Malcolm Allen said Jan. 20 his party will be pressing for parliamentary hearings on the issue as well as trying to hold government feet to the fire in question period. “We certainly will be raising this, and the calls we are getting indicate this is a huge issue for farmers,” he
said. “I think the government has to be prepared to take some responsibility for this. (It’s) a major part of the economy and many farmers are missing out on taking advantage of a great crop because they can’t move it. That’s money out of their pocket.” Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said politics are not the answer. “The short answer is if the (parliamentary committee) wants to look at it, they can,” he told a Jan. 20 teleconference with reporters. “But at the end of the day, we are looking for pragmatic, practical solutions and not political interference.” He insisted that the issue of stored crop, frustrating service and lost
sales after last year’s record crop does not lend itself to simple or quick fixes. It will take a “holistic” approach working with the railways, he added. He did not talk about it, but the federal government and some grain groups will announce this week an Ottawa-supported research project on how to measure railway performance. Ritz said some producer groups have suggested that the government revise or drop legislation that limits rail revenues from grain movement. A higher limit or no limit would increase railway revenues, which could then be reinvested. SEE RAIL SERVICE, PAGE 2
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Pork producers must enhance biosecurity Officials flag increased risk of deadly PED virus BY MARY MACARTHUR CAMROSE BUREAU
Pork producers must learn to be more vigilant than a Russian security guard at the Sochi Olympics if they want to keep porcine epidemic diarrhea out of Canada. Pork officials and veterinarians believe the deadly PED virus, which became a reportable disease in Alberta Jan. 20, will likely sneak across the border from the United States on a cattle or pig truck. “Trucking is one of our biggest risks, especially from the U.S. where there is this disease,” swine veterinarian Dr. Egan Brockhoff said during an Alberta Pork telephone conference call on PED Jan. 17. SEE PED RISKS INCREASE, PAGE 2
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THIS WEEK AT WWW.PRODUCER.COM | VIDEO FROM THE CROP PRODUCTION SHOW That’s multi-tasking
Denver livestock show
A Raymore farmer divides his time between chores and responding to emergencies as chief of the local volunteer fire department. | Page 21
Canadian winners from the National Western Stock Show in Denver, page 3, and in our Livestock section. | Page 80
The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240
JANUARY 23, 2014 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4