‘Nationwide Concern: Farmers Fearful of Impending Rail Strike’

August 14, 2024 TruthUSA

A dispute between Canada’s two main railway companies and their employees comes at the worst time for farmers in the nation’s agriculture sector who need to get their crops to market.

Both of Canada’s main railways—Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City—could go on strike or be locked out as early as Aug. 22 unless they reach new labour deals for their employees, represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union.

Gunter Jochum, president of the Wheat Growers Association who farms near St. Francois Xavier in Manitoba, just west of Winnipeg, said rail problems could waylay the payoff for bumper crops in the area.

“It’s not just terrible for grain farmers, I think it’s terrible for the whole country, because the railways move somewhere north of $380 billion worth of goods for Canada in a year. … And yes, it affects us in the worst way, especially at harvest,” Jochum told The Epoch Times.

Elevators fill up quickly when they can’t load cars with grains and cereals. Farmers aren’t paid for grain until the elevators can take it, and few have enough bin space for an entire harvest. The backlog can leave farmers with cash flow challenges and piles of grain left in the field where the weather can diminish their quality.

“We won’t get compensated for loss of income, so we may have to go to the banks for loans to tide us over. It’s just really bad. I can’t put any good spin on this,” Jochum said.