Major US agricultural trade organizations are calling on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to intervene and prevent a potential rail strike that could severely impact North American commodity flow.
In a letter signed by 35 industry groups, including the US Grains Council and American Farm Bureau Association, concerns were raised about the economic consequences of a rail shutdown.
The urgency stems from announcements by two of Canada’s largest railroad companies, which collectively manage 80% of the country’s rail network, that they may cease operations on Thursday if negotiations with over 9,000 unionized workers fail.
This potential stoppage threatens to disrupt the weekly shipment of more than 25,000 rail cars of goods.
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“Costs from delayed shipments and lost sales will be amplified and carried by all system participants, as well as Canadian consumers in the way of higher grocery store prices. A work stoppage of any length of time means lost shipping opportunities that will never be recovered,” they wrote in the letter.
Agriculture stands to be particularly affected, as farmers depend on timely rail transport for fertilizers, crop inputs, and livestock feed. The industry groups emphasized that biofuel operations, flour mills, and other agricultural activities also rely on uninterrupted rail service.
Canadian Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon and federal mediators were scheduled to meet with involved parties on Tuesday and Wednesday. This follows the government’s decision not to impose binding arbitration last week.
The US trade groups stressed the importance of operational railroads for the integrated North American supply chain. While they prefer a negotiated solution, they urged the Canadian government to be prepared for swift action if talks break down.
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