Canadian grain farmers typically battle a range of difficulties from weather related events to escalating input and equipment cost to fluctuations of returns. While the 2013 crop was generally one of the largest on record, concerns are now mounting because of the inability of railways to move grain to customers fast enough. Federal and provincial politicians have been pointing accusatory fingers at Canada’s railways and suggesting the companies — CN and CP — have not done everything they can to meet the demand for rail cars.

The speaker will address these issues and the long term opportunities & challenges for Canadian grain producers. He will also outline the role of the Grain Growers of Canada in marketing the crop and who the main grain exporters in Canada are now that the Canadian Wheat Board’s marketing monopoly has ended. Where are the main export markets for Canadian grain? Are farmers benefitting from more competition among grain handling companies? What are some of the options Provincial and Federal Governments can use in assisting farmers generally, but more particularly, in marketing their grain?

Speaker: Gary Stanford

Gary Stanford is the President of Grain Growers of Canada. He is the also the Director Representative for the Alberta Wheat Commission and has enjoyed participating in agriculture policy development through farm associations since 1996. Gary is just back from the Global Grain Asia conference in Singapore where he presented the Canadian grain market outlook to delegates from numerous countries.

Gary is a proponent of sustainability practices related to soil stewardship which are helpful on his farm, since he lives in the dry and windy climate of southern Alberta. Many of these sustainability practices have been followed traditionally on Gary’s farm since the time of his grandfather who in 1903 was the first farmer to grow winter wheat in Alberta.

Moderator: TBA

Date: Thursday, April 10, 2014
Time: Noon - 1:30 PM
Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S
Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch)

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