KAP Questions CP Rail's Decision To Close Producer Loading Sites

 

CP Rail's decision to close down 17 producer car loading sites in western Canada is not sitting well with Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP).

 

Two of the closures are in western Manitoba, one at Foxwarren, the other at Strathclair.

 

KAP President Dan Mazier says the move just doesn't make sense.

 

"Things that we produce in Manitoba are land-locked and we need a very good, solid transportation infrastructure to fix that," he commented. "Meanwhile, we have this other issue coming up, we want to be green infrastructure, we want to be good and resilient and not beat the roads all up, so what do we do? We turn around and we take a couple of potential sites that we could start loading something away. It's such a counter-productive type of move."

 

Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta