Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The Biden administration on Thursday urged the U.S. Senate to quickly pass a bill to block a railroad strike, warning that serious economic disruptions could be felt within days. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to approve a bill to impose a tentative contract deal reached in September on […] Read more
Biden administration makes case for quick Senate vote to avoid rail shutdown
Bill imposing deal on workers clears House
Biggest U.S. rail union rejects tentative deal, raising threat of strike
Union digs in on paid sick time
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington/Los Angeles | Reuters — Workers at the largest U.S. rail union voted against a tentative contract deal reached in September, raising the possibility of a year-end strike that could cause significant damage to the U.S. economy and strand vital shipments of food and fuel. Train and engine service members of the transportation division of […] Read more
U.S. railroad strike averted
Biden calls deal a 'win for America;' strike's impact would have reached up into Canada
Reading Time: 4 minutes Updated | Washington | Reuters — Major U.S. railroads and unions secured a tentative deal on Thursday after 20 hours of intense talks brokered by President Joe Biden’s administration to avert a rail shutdown that could have hit food and fuel supplies across the country and beyond. Biden called the deal a “big win for […] Read more
U.S. railways to halt grain shipments ahead of potential shutdown
Fall fertilizer traffic also at risk
Reading Time: 3 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Some U.S. railroads will start halting crop shipments on Thursday, a day ahead of a potential work stoppage, an agricultural association and sources at two grain co-operatives said on Tuesday, threatening exports and feed deliveries for livestock. With farmers starting to harvest autumn crops that are shipped to meat and biofuels […] Read more
U.S. government makes contingency plans for rail shutdown
Three unions represent about 60,000 rail workers
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington/Los Angeles | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday made contingency plans aiming to ensure deliveries of critical goods in the event of a shutdown of the U.S. rail system while pressing railroads and unions to reach a deal to avoid a work stoppage affecting freight and passenger service. The potential shutdown, […] Read more
Biden steps in to help end freight rail labour disputes
Disputes dragging at BNSF, Union Pacific
Reading Time: < 1 minute Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order creating an emergency board to help resolve disputes between major freight rail carriers and their unions, in a move that could help loosen up some supply chain constraints. The order came ahead of a deadline next week to intervene in nationwide […] Read more
Ceres plans southern Saskatchewan canola crush plant
U.S. firm to build plant at border grain terminal
Reading Time: 3 minutes U.S. ag commodities firm Ceres Global Ag, which in recent years has built up a Prairie grain and oilseed origination hub near the North Dakota border in southeastern Saskatchewan, now plans to crush canola there also. The Minneapolis company said Tuesday it plans to spend US$350 million to build an integrated crush plant with capacity […] Read more
U.S. rail regulator tackles railroads over customer complaints
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The top U.S. rail regulator has asked major railroads for information on service levels before meeting disgruntled shippers and other customers over complaints about service delays and higher costs. In letters to the CEOs of the railroads, dated Friday and posted Monday on the U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) website, the regulator requested […] Read more
Organic grain firm picks up elevator near border
Reading Time: 2 minutes A Minneapolis startup in the organic grain business has bought a northwestern North Dakota elevator that further expands its southern Prairie catchment. Pipeline Foods — which has hung out its shingle as a buyer of organic, non-GMO wheat, pulses and oats for food and feed — announced Tuesday it has bought a CHS elevator at […] Read more
Viterra buys North Dakota elevator
Reading Time: < 1 minute Prairie grain handler Viterra is expanding its reach in eastern North Dakota with a deal for Gavilon Grain’s elevator at Grand Forks. Regina-based Viterra said Monday it has closed its acquisition of Omaha-based Gavilon’s Grand Forks site for an undisclosed sum, and plans “immediate capital upgrades” for the elevator. The Grand Forks site, which was […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
