Canada - The Canadian Cattle Industry is on the verge of another critical situation.
 
CP and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) Union are set to go back to the bargaining table on Friday in an effort to avert a potential strike that could come as early as 16 Mar 2022.
 
An overwhelming majority, 96.7 percent, of the more than 3,000 members of the TCRC voted in favor of strike action earlier this month.
 
CCA President Bob Lowe says they are very concerned about the potential impacts of a rail strike on the ability of beef producers to feed their cattle, particularly feed lots.
 
As of 1 Feb 2022 there were 1.1 million head of cattle on feed in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
 
He notes with the drought and the lack of feed production, a potential rail strike would be devastating.
 
"It is imperative that essential services are not interrupted, including the movement of agricultural products by rail. We're running on imported corn from the U.S. to feed the cattle herd and feed lot sector. There are different numbers of what we need a week, somewhere around eight train loads of corn a week. Just to keep us even."
 
Lowe says one rail car is estimated to feed approximately 8,000 head for one day, therefore nine to ten trains a week is what we need.
 
He says the industry is in a critical situation as producers and feed lot operators need that feed, and are already running on a just in time, train by train basis.
 
"Just in time, I mean, probably the industry's got maybe 10 to 12 days of feed on hand. So that's that's not very much."
 
NCFA Chair James Bekkering says a rail strike would be devastating for the industry.
 
"With last year's drought and recent transportation issues, feeders have been reliant on CP bringing up feed from the U.S. If trains stop moving, there will be no other options."
 
According to Stats Can, corn imports for 2021 were up 400 percent in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
 
Lowe doesn't know if it's possible, but he'd like to see both sides go to binding arbitration before that 16 Mar 2022 strike deadline.
 
The next round of talks between CP and the TCRC are scheduled to run 11-16 Mar 2022, but there's growing concern that CP could start slowing down operations in preparation for a strike or lockout.
 
The CCA and NCFA estimate that over 1,000 super-B trucks would be needed weekly to replace the volume of feed grain currently be transported by CP trains, and trucking capacity is not available, leaving no alternative solutions.
 
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the National Cattle Feeders' Association encouraging both sides to reach a solution prior to the strike deadline.
 
Glenda-Lee Vossler.