CN disposes of spilled grain

Apr 11, 2023

The spilled grain became mixed with soil and other materials

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Following the derailment of a Canadian National (CN) train carrying grain in Alberta, Farms.com asked CN about the cleanup process and what happens to the spilled grain.

The derailment occurred on April 5 near Wye Road and Range Roads 213 and 214 east of Sherwood Park, Alta.

Seventeen cars derailed.

For context, one jumbo covered CN hopper car can carry up to 103 tonnes – or approximately 3,784 bushels of wheat. Or roughly 4,541 bushels of canola.

Crews work to repair the track and get the derailed cars out of the way. The CN derailment happened near RR213 and Wye Road SE of Sherwood Park. It was initially reported there and no injuries and the only spill was grain. #Yeg #CNderailment @CityNewsYEG pic.twitter.com/wvfFVCGC0f
— Rod (@rodmaldaner) April 5, 2023

CN sent investigators to the scene following the incident, said Julien Bédard, a media relations advisor with CN.

“CN’s environmental team assesses the situation and chooses the best way of action to ensure minimal impact on the receiving environment,” he told Farms.com in an email.

The environmental team’s work concluded the spilled grain got mixed with other materials.

Therefore, the grain had to be disposed of, Bédard said.

“The grain at the derailment site got mixed with ballast rock (stone material used in railroad construction), metals, soil, vegetation, other debris and moisture. It will be disposed of at a permitted landfill facility.”

Farms.com also asked if CN would cover any additional costs associated with the spilled grain.

That question went unanswered.

Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?