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46-513: The Manitoba Grain Act was passed in 1901, designed to prevent abuses by grain dealers and railways and ensure fair practices and prices in the booming grain trade in the prairie provinces of Canada. There was a bumper crop that year, and farmers found they could not get their produce to market because the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and the grain companies were still failing to conform to

92-485: A Royal Commission to investigate the situation. The commission of 1899 held hearings in the main grain belt centers and market centers. The commission also reviewed the practices and regulations of the grain trade in Minnesota, and many features of the Minnesota legislation were included in the recommendations. The commission found, "a vendor of grain is at present subjected to an unfair and excessive dockage for his grain at

138-574: A Territorial Grain Growers' Association (TGGA), and nominated Motherwell as provisional president and John Millar as provisional secretary. The first annual convention of the TGGA was held on 1 February 1902, attended by delegates from 38 local groups. In 1905 Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces. The Alberta branch of the TGGA became the Alberta Farmers' Association under the leadership of Rice Sheppard of

184-541: A fair price for their wheat, started to look to various marketing systems between 1900 and 1920. The co-operative style of organizing farm operations was one of them. As early as 1902, farmers banded together as the Territorial Grain Growers' Association . The TGGA split into Alberta Farmers' Association and the Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association (SGGA) in 1906. Also established at this time

230-405: A mainstay of many pioneer households. These calendar maps depicted the networking of the early CNR and CPR rail lines, the many early incorporated areas, and the locations of the grain elevators. The pictures which surround the elevator map of grain delivered by horse and wagon, early truck, and grain handling at the ports along the calendars show the evolution of the grain handling industry. In

276-658: A non-political lobby group. The delegates at the February 1902 meeting of the TGGA approved three recommendations proposed by William Richard Motherwell for changes to the Grain Act. These were: That section 42 of the Manitoba Grain Act be amended to empower the Warehouse Commissioner to compel all railway companies to erect every loading platform approved by the said Commissioner within thirty days after said approval

322-691: A seat on the Winnipeg Grain Exchange , to sell their crop on the open market and pay dividends. At first the company had no elevators, so it still had to make arrangements for storage with the elevator companies. Eventually the act of 1900 and additional regulations were consolidated in the Canada Grain Act of 1912. This legislation was profoundly influenced by farmers' leaders such as Edward Alexander Partridge of Sintaluta and William Richard Motherwell of Abernathy. Saskatchewan Co-Operative Wheat Producers The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool

368-476: Is given and in default the Commissioner shall have power to impose penalties on such defaulting railway, and collect same through the courts, and that this amendment come into force on May 1, 1902. That railway companies be compelled to provide farmers with cars to be loaded direct from vehicles, at all stations, irrespective of there being an elevator, warehouse or loading platform at such station or not. That

414-476: The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The agricultural community would produce cash crops for export, and would buy Canadian industrial products. There was inherent tension between the farmers, who wanted to get the highest possible price for their crops, and the grain dealers, who wanted to pay as little as possible. By 1890 the grain traders had started to consolidate into large companies such as Ogilvie, Northern and Dominion. There were 447 working elevators in

460-665: The Grain Growers' Guide , a farmers' journal. The first issue appeared in June 1908 as the official organ of the Manitoba Grain Growers' Association (MGGA). It was published by the Grain Growers' Grain Company through its subsidiary, Public Press Limited. In 1909 the Guide was made a weekly. By the end of that year the Guide was the official organ of the (MGGA) and its sister associations,

506-586: The Strathcona area. In 1906 the TGGA renamed itself the Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association (SGGA). John Archibald Maharg (1872–1944) was first president of the SGGA from 1910 to 1923. Edward Alexander Partridge of Sintaluta spoke at the SGGA convention that year, and attacked the grain handling system. He said the elevator companies, millers and exporters rigged grain prices so they were low during

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552-435: The 1920s could handle 100 tonnes of grain per hour. The elevator pit could contain approximately 10 tonnes of grain, which would be about the load delivered by one farmer's grain truck. In comparison, the new "high-throughput" elevators constructed of slip-formed cylindrical concrete have a 418,000 bushel (11,500 tonne) capacity, whereas the condominium storage facility can contain 582,000 bushels (15,800 tonnes). In March 1996,

598-497: The AU Board of Directors to reject them. In February 2007, AU and JRI announced that they had negotiated a merger arrangement to form a publicly traded company to be known as "Richardson Agricore", subject to shareholder agreement. A subsequent bidding war led to a stock and cash offer from the Pool and an all-cash offer from JRI to form a private company; a higher, $ 20.50 all-cash offer from

644-1086: The Board of Directors, and the Pool's CEO and Board were voted in. The Pool had Agricore United's common and preferred shares delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on June 20, 2007, and the members of the senior management team for the amalgamated company were announced the next day. The new company was headquartered in Regina, under the name of Viterra . 25 Years with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool by Saskatchewan Wheat Pool employees' Association Publisher: Saskatchewan Co-Operative Producers Limited Place: Regina, Saskatchewan Date published: 1949 From prairie roots: The remarkable story of Saskatchewan Wheat Pool (Hardcover) by Garry Lawrence Fairbairn Hardcover: 318 pages Publisher: HarperCollins Canada / Greystone Book (Jan 1 1984) Language: English ISBN   0-88833-127-4 Wheat Kings: Vanishing Landmarks of

690-468: The Grain Act be amended making it the duty of the railway agent, when there is a shortage of cars, to apportion the available cars in the order in which they are applied for, and that in case such cars are misappropriated by applicants not entitled to them, the penalties of the act be enforced against such parties. The recommendations were debated in the House of Commons on 17 March 1902 and passed as amendments to

736-467: The Manitoba Grain Act with little modification on 19 May 1902. The act was also amended to require the CPR to cover the cost of land and sidings when anyone within forty miles of a siding applied to build a flat warehouse, and to build a loading platform when ten farmers formally applied for one. However, the act did not ensure enforcement. During the bumper harvest of 1902 there was again a shortage of cars, and CPR

782-581: The Northwest Territories found that the traders and CPR were not complying with the act. The railway companies were giving the elevator companies precedence over individual farmers in receiving cars, in effect forcing farmers to sell through the companies. About seventy farmers met in Indian Head, Saskatchewan in November 1901, resulting in the birth of the Territorial Grain Growers' Association (TGGA),

828-523: The Pool in May eventually prevailed, with 81% of the limited voting shares being tendered to the Pool by shareholders by the end of May, including all the ADM shares. This exceeded the 75% required by the terms of AU's incorporation to change the corporate structure and, after a special shareholders' meeting in June, AU became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. AU's CEO, Brian Hayward, resigned, as did

874-888: The SCEC, was also president of the SGGA, and in 1921 was provincial minister of agriculture in the Liberal government. The SCEC's relationship with the Liberals drew criticism from those who felt that a cooperative should be politically neutral, particularly from those who did not support the Liberals. In 1921 a left-wing splinter group left the SGGA to form the Farmers' Union of Canada . Early in 1924 wheat pool organizers, inspired by their success in Alberta, began campaigns to sign up farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The two farm organizations in Saskatchewan lent

920-514: The SGGA and the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA). Early in 1908 Partridge convinced the SGGA to endorse the principle that inland grain elevators should be owned by the province and terminal elevators by the Dominion of Canada. Saskatchewan premier Thomas Walter Scott arranged for a Royal Commission on Elevators in 1910, which recommended a system where the elevators would be cooperatively owned by

966-463: The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool became a publicly traded company, breaking from its roots as a co-operative. While decent profits were realized in the first two years, the company incurred huge losses between 1999 and 2003 because of low commodity prices. It also faced increased competition when the Alberta Wheat Pool and Manitoba Pool Elevators merged to form Agricore. The Pool lost its position as

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1012-536: The UFC was George Williams . Partridge was made honorary president of the organization. Manitoba Grain Act The Manitoba Grain Act was an act passed by the federal government of Canada in 1900 to protect the interests of grain farmers against abuses by the grain storage and trading companies and the railways. Although well-intentioned the act was flawed, and a series of amendments were required before

1058-539: The act in 1900 the North West Elevator Association was organized by the grain dealers. Ostensibly the purpose was to provide an efficient method of deciding on grain prices and sending them to the managers of the local elevators, but the farmers saw the association as an anti-competitive cartel. The act did not solve the farmers' problem. In 1901 there was a bumper crop in Western Canada. Farmers in

1104-503: The act stated, "In no case, shall grain of different grades be mixed together while in store." This was to ensure that quality and thus prices were maintained. The provision was supported by the traders. Recommendations incorporated into the act requiring the railways to provide loading platforms free of charge, giving farmers the right to build and use flat warehouses, with the railways forced to provide sites and sidings. The farmers were thus no longer forced to sell to elevators from which

1150-423: The act which was passed that year. With the passage of the amendments to the act the TGGA had achieved its primary objective, and lost some of its momentum. The farmers still felt that their livelihood was in the control of the grain companies, railways and manufacturers in the east. There were many stories of price fixing. In 1906 the farmers created the collectively owned Grain Growers' Grain Company , which had

1196-488: The act. Almost half the crop was lost due to spoilage due to lack of space in the elevators and lack of railway cars. In November 1901 two farmers in the major grain shipping center of Indian Head organized an "indignation meeting" that was attended by about fifty farmers. In December 1901 William Richard Motherwell (1860–1943) and Peter Dayman of the Abernathy district arranged a follow-up meeting. The farmers agreed to form

1242-421: The country's top grain handler when Agricore took over United Grain Growers in 2002 to form Agricore United . In November 2006, the company launched a campaign to take over Agricore United. Winnipeg-based James Richardson International ("JRI") launched its own takeover bid at the same time. The initial and subsequent offers from the Pool involved a stock swap, with no or little cash being offered, prompting

1288-443: The early 20th century, grain elevators dotted the prairies every 6 to 10 miles (10–15 km) apart, a distance that was a good day's journey for farmer and horse with a full load. Farmers could find services available to buy and grade grain at the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevators. The Pool Farm Service Centers provided a place for farmers to pick up fertilizer and chemicals. Highways, trucks, tractors , and combines revolutionized

1334-543: The fall harvest period, when farmers had to sell to obtain cash to pay their debts. They then made future contracts to the English buyers for delivery at far higher prices. The leaders of the SGGA were opposed to Partridge's plan to establish a farmer-owned company, but he ignored their objections. The organization meeting for the Grain Growers' Grain Company (GGGC) was held in Sintaluta on 27 January 1906. Partridge helped organize

1380-413: The farmers operated elevators, balanced by lower prices elsewhere. The companies took large deductions from the farmers to allow for impurities in the grain (dockage), loss of grain during loading (shrinkage) and transportation costs. Farmers suspected they were colluding over prices, although this was not proved. Farmers began to complain about the grain traders' practices, and the government established

1426-591: The farmers rather than by the government. In 1911 legislation was passed by which the Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Company (SCEC) was incorporated to run elevators under this model. The SCEC was a joint-stock cooperative company whose shares would be sold only to farmers, who could not buy more than ten shares each. The SCEC was closely aligned with the SGGA and with the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan. John Archibald Maharg , president of

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1472-466: The farming industry after World War II. These changes gradually led to the rail system facing deregulation and consolidation changes: many branch lines closed down, and there were increased loading quotas available to railcars for grain, specialty crops and even oilseeds. These developments led to newer and more advanced state-of-the-art grain handling systems called SWP Terminals which serve larger surrounding farming areas. The 'crib' style wood elevator of

1518-401: The grain would be bulk loaded. However, the farmers had to fill a car completely, which was beyond the capacity of many, and to load within a specified period of time. The loading regulation remained in force until 1970. The elevator companies were required to guarantee the grades of stored grain, and give statements of the grade and weight of all the grain they received. Soon after passage of

1564-400: The more effective Canada Grain Act of 1912 was passed. After 1878 the governments of Canada implemented policies to encourage development of grain farming in the prairie province of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories of Saskatchewan , Assiniboia and Alberta . These included setting up protective tariffs, encouraging settlement on the prairies and building a transcontinental railway,

1610-440: The name of AgPro in the prairie provinces of Manitoba and Alberta . Begun as a co-operative in the 1920s, the company became a publicly traded corporation in the 1990s. After the 2007 takeover of its competitor, Winnipeg -based Agricore United , the Pool name was retired. The merged company operated under the name Viterra until 2013, when it was acquired by Glencore International . Farmers, frustrated in their attempts to win

1656-580: The pool funds, and the provincial government provided a CAN$ 45,000 advance. By 6 June 1924 the pool in Saskatchewan had signed up 46,500 contracts covering more than half the acreage in the province. The pool incorporated as the Saskatchewan Co-Operative Wheat Producers . The SCEC raised difficulties about letting the pool use its elevators, and the pool made other arrangements. A special meeting of SCEC members in April 1926 voted to sell to

1702-583: The pool, which took over all the SCEC facilities. Partridge campaigned for the Canadian Wheat Board, dissolved in 1920, to be reestablished. He did not succeed, but his campaign led to the creation in 1926 of the Saskatchewan section of the United Farmers of Canada . The United Farmers of Canada was created by a merger of the more radical Farmers' Union of Canada with the Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association. The first leader of

1748-424: The prairie provinces in 1899. Of these 95 were owned by two large milling companies and 206 by three line elevator companies. 120 were owned by individual millers and grain companies, and 26 by farmer-owned companies. The farmers' elevators had difficulty obtaining sufficient volume for economies of scale in grain storage and handling. The large companies could force them out of business by paying excessive prices where

1794-611: The regulations of the grain trade other than those made by the railway companies and the elevator owners." The Manitoba Grain Act was passed in 1900, a well-meaning effort to solve the problems identified by the Royal Commission. It was meant to regulate and supervise the trade in grain to ensure fair practices and fair prices. A Warehouse Commissioner was appointed to administer the statute. Grain handling facilities were required to be licensed. Rules and regulations covered dockage, weights, grades, and special binning. Section 18 of

1840-501: The supreme court. The Manitoba Grain Growers' Association (MGGA) was formed at a meeting on March 3–4, 1903 in Brandon, Manitoba . In 1903 two officers of the MGGA accompanied Motherwell and J.B. Gillespie of the TGGA to Ottawa where they met with representatives of the railways and grain companies to tighten up the wording of the Manitoba Grain Act. The new text was introduced as an amendment to

1886-435: The time of sale. ... doubts exist as to the fairness of the weights allowed or used by the owners of elevators." The commission said the elevator companies had an unfair monopoly "by refusing to permit the erection of flat warehouses where standard elevators are situated" so they could "keep the price of grain below its true market value to their own benefit." The report recommended legislation, "there being no rules laid down for

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1932-546: Was a grain handling, agri-food processing and marketing company based in Regina, Saskatchewan . The Pool created a network of marketing alliances in North America and internationally which made it the largest agricultural grain handling operation in the province of Saskatchewan. Before becoming Viterra, SWP had operated 276 retail outlets and more than 100 grain handling and marketing centres. The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool operated under

1978-405: Was clearly favoring the elevator companies in allocating the available cars. Motherwell and Peter Dayman went to Winnipeg to complain to CPR, where they were told that the railway was having difficulty adapting to the rapid growth in wheat production. In the fall of 1902 the TGGA took CPR to court for violating the act's requirements for distributing cars, and won the case, which was confirmed by

2024-677: Was known as the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool , as it collectively helped farmers to obtain a decent price for wheat. The first president was Alexander James McPhail , and the first grain elevator was built in Bulyea in 1925 (in the area of Section 36, Township 16, Range 15, W of the 2nd meridian ). The Saskatchewan Co-operative Wheat Producers Ltd. bought out the Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Company in 1926. In 1953 The Saskatchewan Co-operative Wheat Producers Ltd.

2070-638: Was renamed the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. The pool is the world's largest farm, the world's largest shipper of wheat, the Biggest Business in Canada – and it was built by the Man Behind the Plow. The Wheat Pool elevators have been sentinels in many prairie towns since the early 1900s. They are the topic of numerous prairie landscapes and photographs. The Wheat Pool calendar map or Country Elevator System calendar maps were

2116-549: Was the farmers' co-operative elevator company called the Grain Growers' Grain Company (GGGC), which later merged into the United Grain Growers . In 1911 the Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Company was formed. The SGGA met with the United Farmers of Alberta and United Farmers of Manitoba and formed the Saskatchewan Co-operative Wheat Producers Ltd. on August 25, 1923. Informally it

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