WHEREAS the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act helped to expedite grain movement from prairie to port, farmers who use producer cars were disadvantaged when CP and CN cherry-picked grain from Manitoba and Alberta, then from the main line points, then finally major branch lines, while producer cars were moved to the tail end of the queue; and

WHEREAS the backlog of producer cars has led to missed sales opportunities, underuse of rail transport, and a once-burned-twice-shy attitude toward the ongoing use of producer cars among would-be users;

BE IT RESOLVED that the producer car must be given priority as it was under the CWB monopoly, and car allotment removed from the present iron control of CP and CN and given to a neutral regulatory body; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Government of Canada (GOC) establish a Grain Transportation Regulatory Agency that allocates cars in a fair and transparent manner, manages co-ordinated ship loading and which has the teeth to enforce regulated rulings; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GOC re-establish the Producer Cars Shippers of Canada organization, a producer based association, with provincial and federal governments matching funding from a producer car voluntary check-offs, which will act as a producer advisory board; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all cars using shortlines be allocated by the Canadian Grain Commission, whether they are a producer car or a dealer car; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the “Level of Service Complaint” process be made readily available to smaller shippers and producers on a summary basis within shorter timelines.