For Saskatchewan farm families like the Flavels, a single rail bridge in another province has a direct impact on their bottom line and ability to get products to international markets.
This pressing issue was a central topic of conversation at the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, where producers gathered to discuss the logistical hurdles plaguing Canada's agricultural trade corridors.
The Bridge That Disrupts Commerce
Cassidy Flavel, who operates a mixed grain and cattle farm near Silton, Saskatchewan, highlighted the critical role of the Second Narrows Rail Bridge near the Port of Vancouver. This vital infrastructure handles nearly one-third of all cargo moving through the western port.
The bridge's operation requires it to be lifted multiple times daily to accommodate marine traffic, a process that consistently disrupts the flow of rail shipments. For farmers relying on this route, these interruptions create significant delays and uncertainty for their exports.
Seeking Solutions at the Grain Expo
During the Agribition's grain expo conference, Flavel and others heard directly from industry leaders, including representatives from Canadian National (CN) Railway. She expressed relief at learning that CN is actively working to improve efficiency, notably by reducing the lag time between trains from 20 minutes down to 10 minutes.
"They're trying to make everything more and more efficient, and you can see over the last 15 years how much more efficient it's been made, so it's definitely good there," Flavel noted. However, she emphasized that the primary takeaway remains clear: "There's still a bottleneck at the port."
Agribition: A Hub for Farmer Education
The six-day agricultural exhibition and trade show, held at Regina's REAL District, is an annual pilgrimage for the Flavel family—Cassidy, her husband Alex, and father Scott. They return each year because the programming directly addresses the evolving concerns of farmers across Canada, with trade and export troubles taking centre stage recently.
Bill Prybylski, President of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), confirmed that Agribition has evolved to stay current with the issues of the day. "There's always something we can learn, and Agribition is a great place to do that," Prybylski stated. "In shows like this, it doesn't matter where we go, what meeting you attend as a producer, you're always learning something of value that you can bring back to your own farm."
This sentiment was echoed by first-time attendees Patricia and Shaun Stroeder, who travelled from their farm south of Weyburn to participate. For all involved, navigating adversity and finding practical solutions remains the name of the game in modern agriculture.
