Fair Rail Freight Service Act Would Ensure Canadian Farmers Get Treated Fairly by Railways

Dec 11, 2012

Harper Government Seeks to Strengthen Rail Freight Service with New Bill

The Harper government is moving swiftly to strengthen rail freight service across the country with the introduction of the “Fair Rail Freight Service Act”. The bill will create an arbitration process that would allow the establishment of an agreement if and when commercial negotiations happen to fail.

The Honourable Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz and Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities the Honourable Denis Lebel announced the rail freight bill on Monday.

“To continue creating jobs and growth for the Canadian economy, agriculture producers and processors must be able to get their world class product to market in a reliable and efficient way,” said Minister Ritz.

The announcement follows some of the recommendations that were made by the Rail Freight Service Review Panel in 2011. The report recommended the creation of bilateral service agreements between shippers and railways would bring more clarity and reliability in rail service. The bill is especially good for farmers who rely on rail freight as part of the supply chain to ship their crops.

Video: Exploring Precision Data in Swine Production - Dr. Janice Siegford

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Janice Siegford from Michigan State University discusses how precision livestock farming data can support pig health, welfare, transparency, and decision making. She explains why data ownership, privacy, consumer perception, and cost sharing must be addressed as technology becomes more common on farms. Listen now on all major platforms.

“Precision livestock farming data can support producers, veterinarians, certifiers, and consumers by enabling improved monitoring, prediction, and decision-making across the entire production system.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Janice Siegford / janice-siegford-24318839 is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. Her expertise in animal welfare, neuroscience, and zoology supports research on pig behavior, stress resilience, and precision livestock farming. Her work explores early weaning, genetics, and stakeholder perspectives on technology adoption to improve pig care, health, and productivity. Learn more from Dr. Janice Siegford on The Swine it Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.