Producer Cars and Mission terminal

[Hermes]

I am hearing news that farmers are concerned about losing producer cars. It appears that the CWB, Mission Terminals and some of the old FRCC benifactors are spreading a pile of Half truths to scare farmers.
Points to mention
CWB is the money ticket for Mission Terminal and appears to give Mission preferential treatment. Any changes in the CWB would force Mission to compete for handling.
Producer cars are guaranteed in the Canadian grain Act not CWB act and the CWb has to apply to CGC to get producer cars.
CGC is responsible for all producer cars not CWB
Rumour is that Mission is telling some Producer loading Facilities that they could take over there facilities and proceed with blending and prepaying shipments....Caution...This would make your Producer loading Facility a comercial Facility thus it would no longer recieve any benefits reserved for Producer cars...Land taxes would go up along with insurance and other cost (bonding tec..)related to running a comercial facilty
There is other options available outside Mission terminal on thunder bay...I would think the Inland terminals (North West, WIT) who bought the Agricore terminal in Vancover would be willing to cordinate producer cars into there terminal.
Competition is good and will force every terminal to be competive in there charges
Other rumor is that the new lease agreement with CN&CP means that the cost to Producer for producer have changed. Careful of the bullshit. I have been told.... No new costs, or any other changes in car allocation policies have not changed
Again more lies trying to upset farmers
I think it important that we challenge CN and CP to provide better service of producer cars and if we would allow some of these shortlines access to certain tracks the system would be better for everybody

[Kodiak]

We have all seen how Mission operates. Rather than step up and make new investments in the grain handling and transportation system, they pick up other people's old facilities, most of which are too inefficient for their last owner to continue using. Then with preferential treatment from the CWB, grain is artificially forced through their facilities and they obtain a return on their investment, but really do nothing to lower overall system costs. While the preferential treatment serves the financial interests of Mission’s owners and may save their rather small base of farm clients some money, it costs the rest of the industry through lost efficiencies. In any other place in any other industry the name for this kind of business behavior is racketeering. It’s not by any stretch of the imagination a commercial system where the lowest cost operators set the standard their competitors must meet.

With their new CEO, Adrian Measner, they have someone who can collect outstanding IOU’s and goodies from the CWB in the same fashion with which he gratuitously dished them out to his preferred cronies while he was there. Now under Mr. Measner’s direction they have adopted the CWB’s tactics of deception and shameless fear mongering that he condoned while he was there. It’s disgusting.

[gregpet]

Excellent statement of the facts Kodiac. I want to ask if I could use that first paragraph of yours verbatim when speaking to my local CWB rep?

[Kodiak]

Sure, why not? You can quote me