Potential rail, longshore foreman strikes a concern for BC Cattlemen’s’ Association

BC Cattlemen’s Association President Kevin Boon is keeping a close eye on possible rail and dock strikes that could negatively impact the industry.

Boon says if CN, Canadian Pacific Kansas City along with BC ship and dock foreman utilize the picket line at the same time, the ramifications will be felt globally.

“It will have huge effects on our ability to move and transport food products not only into Canada but out of Canada. Across Canada, we depend on it for our feed supplies and stuff like that, there’s a lot going on here.”

“The big thing it is really going to effect as well in our industry is confidence by other countries to trade with us and to both keep us supplied with what we need and also to get to other countries. We depend on it (the rail lines) if we can’t get move it there, it has to move by truck.”

The eventful summer for provincial ranchers is also being aided by wildfires and the landslide that impacted the Chilcotin and Fraser Rivers.

However, Boon noted this year’s wildfire season hasn’t resulted in too many negative outcomes to this point.

“This year in some ways was a little easier in the fact that we did get some moisture in most areas of the province in June – the Peace is a big exception to that but we got better hay supplies, which is good.”

“A lot of the fires this year were different than past years. We didn’t have the huge fires in the numbers that we had in the past and a lot of the fires we did see consumed were in the northeast part of BC, where we don’t have as much infrastructure.”

“The good news for us is that our cattle prices remain strong and that is what is going to keep us going right now,” added Boon.

Groups like Fertilizer Canada believe rail disruptions could have disastrous effects on crop yields and food security.

Both rail companies have issued immediate embargoes on fertilizer shipments — with further embargoes and slowdowns in rail service expected.