Who is right, ag transport coalition or RR's

[Hopalong]

Beyond meeting ship to port government order, seems to be up to railways to provide grain shipping pretty much where it pleases.
It is worth taking a look at some aspects of United States rail movement where shippers pay to have rail shipping service provided on a competitive bid basis and, in theory, who ever is willing to pay gets priority.
There are captive grain shipping areas where surface shipping authority has regulatory power.
A co-ordinated Canada-US bulk grain rail shipping protocol would be at top of my list of desired outcomes from prairie grain grower perspective.

[Hopalong]

Does not seem logical to complain about our Canadian system and, at same time, reject US one.

[westernvicki]

Well be careful what you ask for actually data has also shown that paying more does not actually buy a higher level of service. Likely because of the lack of reciprocal penalties on the railroaders for failure to provide a service level.

[farming101]

Check out the weekly USDA grain transportation report. North Dakota rates to Portland, Oregon look very pricey. Remember that's in USD.
<a title="USDA Grain Transportation Report" href="http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/gtr">USDA Grain Transportation Report</a>

[Hopalong]

What are we to believe in reports that US wheat prices to growers are a dollar a bushel more than what our handling and transportation system pays us?

[Hopalong]

There have been many complaints on AV about our graincos "stealing" from growers through basis levels.
Would submit that the only reason they are able to get away with it is because of deficiencies in our system.

[farming101]

It is a very frustrating pastime for a guy staring at his PC to try and discover what his grain should really be worth.
Right now Canadian #1 wheat prices are way too low. #2 a different story. I wonder if the wall of #1 wheat that went through the system last summer and early fall was BLOWN OUT at relatively low prices by the grain cos. They made their margin and that's all they worried about.
Canadian #2 CWRS compares to the US HRS classification.
#1 DNS requires at least 75% hard vitreous kernels-a very high standard.

[MBgrower]

Economists at cp and cn understand the w.canadian market well. They know graincos are unregulated and free to extract grain profits in excess of $100 per tonne, yet the rr's are capped at roughly $35/tonne to pull grain 1500 kms to port. Wouldnt u also be upset that you werent getting your fair share?

[farmaholic]

Someone on here said the pot of money is only so big..... so it's only a matter of redistribution of wealth with producers left with what ever the others are willing to allow them to keep.