Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) welcomes the formation of the Crop Logistics Working Group (CLWG) announced by Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz earlier this week.
The working group will examine the grain handling and transportation system and provide a forum for discussion among stakeholders along the value chain. Group members with a broad range of industry knowledge and experience will engage in dialogue and work on improving the logistics system for farmers, the handling industry and customers.
“This is an opportunity for farmers and other industry stakeholders to have input into the process and identify our specific concerns and needs,” said Doug Chorney, KAP President. “We are pleased to see that the Producer Car Association and Shortline Rail Association are involved because we need to ensure that investments made by farmers in shortlines and the producer car business model remain viable in the future.”
President Chorney is pleased to participate as a member of the CLWG on behalf of KAP. It is important that Manitoba’s general farm organization is involved to represent the interests of farm families and commodity groups in the province.
Members of the CLWG will also identify common interests and exchange views about issues in support of Jim Dinning, the recently appointed Rail Freight Service Review Facilitator.
“We are pleased the federal government is responding to input from general farm organizations to ensure farmer interests continue to be considered as the recommendations from the Rail Freight Service Review are implemented,” said Chorney.
The Working Group will hold meetings in Winnipeg and members will also participate in conference calls. The results of the work will be submitted to Minister Ritz after the group’s work is completed this winter. KAP joins other stakeholders on the CLWG such as Pulse Canada, Canadian Grain Commission, Canadian Wheat Board, Shortline Rail Association, and Producer Car Association.
