20141002

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

VOL. 92 | NO. 40 | $4.25

HEALTH CARE REVIEW | P19

SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923

WWW.PRODUCER.COM

UP, UP AND AWAY

HARVEST | YIELDS

Crops appear to have survived June deluge

Rail car mandate debated

Yields fared better than expected in most areas

Elevator association says not enough rail cars being delivered

BY ROBERT ARNASON BRANDON BUREAU

Many growers and crop advisers assumed the worst after 150 to 200 millimetres of rain fell in late June on western Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. Most people thought the grain and oilseed crops would never recover from the deluge and that yields would drop significantly. In the end, the canola, soybean and cereal plants were hardier than predicted. “I think guys are a little bit surprised by the yields,” said Lionel Kaskiw, a Manitoba Agriculture crop production adviser in Souris, Man. “It did a lot better than we were thinking.” Kaskiw said growers in the region are reporting spring wheat yields of 30 to 50 bushels per acre and canola yields of 15 to 45 bu. per acre.

BY SEAN PRATT SASKATOON NEWSROOM

A grain industry analyst says there may be some truth to Canadian National Railway’s assertion that there isn’t enough grain in the system to meet the federal government’s shipping mandate. Larry Weber, an analyst with Weber Commodities, said the numbers show the elevator system isn’t overflowing with grain despite last year’s record-shattering harvest. The licensed capacity of primary elevators in Western Canada is 6.46 million tonnes, according to Canadian Grain Commission data. Grain stocks on hand in the elevator system as of Sept. 21 were 2.7 million tonnes, which means 58 percent of the system was empty. Weber recalled his days as a trader with Pioneer Grain in the 1980s when it was a concern if the system was 40 percent empty. “It justifies CN’s statement that, you know what, we don’t have enough grain,” he said. But Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association, said elevators are not getting the rail cars they need and he said Weber’s analysis should look at w o r k i n g c a p a c i t y ra t h e r t h a n licensed capacity. The federal government is fining CN for failing to meet its legislated obligation to ship 5,000 rail cars of grain a week. CN issued a statement claiming the penalties are unfounded because it is having a difficult time finding enough grain in the elevator system. SEE SHIPPING PENALTIES, PAGE 2

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SEE CROPS SURVIVED DELUGE, PAGE 3

OCTOBER 2, 2014 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4

A pair of bulls witnessed a hot air balloon launch from a field near High River, Alta., which kicked off the Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival Sept. 25. Participants in the four-day competition must try to hit targets in various parts of the countryside. | MIKE STURK PHOTO

YOUR FARMING FUTURE = GRAIN HANDLING & MARKETING

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Join us at a public meeting near you. Learn how you can participate in a uniquely farmer majorityowned fertilizer distribution and grain handling business.* Visit us online or call us for meeting details & more information:

FERTILIZER PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION

FNA.CA/GRAIN 1-877-362-3276

* Participation is limited to accredited investors or to those that are otherwise exempt. You do not need to be an FNA Member to participate.

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

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