Giant lineup of farmers hoping to ship their canola crops

Saskatchewan farmers are desperate to ship their grain and oilseeds, something that was dramatically illustrated this week when a canola terminal got some train cars.

Huge lineups of canola trucks appeared Tuesday and Wednesday at the Archer Daniels Midland elevator at Watson, Sask.

Grain cars have been in short supply on the Prairies this year, but the company managed to secureof a number of them.

Word quickly got out.

Wednesday morning, it looked like the lineup was a kilometre long, according to Bruno-area farmer Mark Kehrig.

The grain bins are full, but the bank account is empty.- Bruno-area canola farmer Mark Kehrig

He said he's only been able to sell about 10 per cent of his harvest so far, and that's meant financial hardship.

"The grain bins are full, but the bank account is empty,"Kehrigtold Blue Sky host GarthMaterie. "And I gather I'm not the only one in that boat."

Kehrigsaid he's been getting by thanks to a line of credit and an understanding bank manager.

Earlier this month, the federal government moved to force the railways to provide a minimum number of grain cars every week, with penalties if they don't meet the requirements.