Potential CP Rail strike could become humane animal issue

The cattle industry is once again in a dire situation, with a potential CP rail strike set for March 16th.

Will Lowe, President of the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association, says a potential strike could result in a humane animal welfare issue, as producers are caught in the crosshairs:

"Cattle feeders with the drought of 2021 have been importing 80 per cent of our feed requirements or a good percentage of our feed requirements from the U.S. U.S .corn is coming in by train anywhere from eight to ten train loads per week. That's the number that's been put to me is about 80 to 100,000 metric tons of corn."

A potential CP rail strike could be just days away, both sides are set to return to the bargaining table on Friday.

Lowe says producers have already been struggling to line up feed, and to have to deal with a rail strike which could halt corn coming in would be devastating.

"We need them to understand that we have 1.2 million head of cattle in Western Canada that need to eat. It really does come down to a humane animal issue, if we don't get this steady supply of corn coming in."

The industry is in a just-in-time situation, with only about eight to twelve days supply on hand.

Lowe says another key concern is the timing of this, since the House of Commons is now on break and there's no option for binding arbitration or back-to-work legislation.