Saskatchewan premier says time to eye shipping grain south in light of backlog

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says it may be time to look at shipping grain south through the United States instead of east and west to Canadian ports.

Wall says the U.S. transportation system isn’t perfect, but he says it hasn’t had as much trouble as the Canadian system in getting a bumper crop to market.

The premier says there seems to be greater competition in the U.S. and a greater capacity to handle the grain.

Saskatchewan said Monday that it wants the federal government to oversee negotiations between grain and rail companies about clearing a backlog that has left a record crop is sitting in bins across the Prairies.

Grain-handling companies have told the province that it may be well into 2015 before the backlog is cleared.

Wall says he raised the issue Monday in a phone call with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.