Alberta farmers hit hard by Vancouver grain terminal strike [Video]

Farmers across the nation are suffering the blows of the current grain terminal strike in Vancouver, including southern Alberta farmers, who say they are frustrated.

Alberta Grains Region 1 director Dave Bishop said producers are still recovering from last month’s rail strike.

“In farming we get one paycheque a year — and that’s now,” Bishop said. “It pays our bills, it puts money in the bank for next year’s crop. Now, it’s on hold again. It was on hold with the dual rail strike and now it’s on hold with the strike at the terminals.

Both the Grain Workers Local Union 333 and its employer, the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association, said they could not come to an agreement on a new contract.

Now that the strike is underway, grain farmers say they’re losing millions of dollars in lost exports.

“For every day of disruption, it’s probably $50 million per day that comes out …