The iron course: Food commodities on the rails

Whether food originates from overseas, stateside or right here at home—and whether the final stop is a dinner plate here or in another country—a considerable amount of it is shipped by rail in Canada.

Let’s have a look at some recent data, along with historical comparisons, of the 12 food commodity groups tracked by our Monthly Railway Carloadings Survey. The survey data include cars loaded in Canada only and exclude shipments by intermodal containers.

One-year high for wheat, which continues to rebound

In May 2024, 2.1 million tonnes of wheat were shipped by rail, following 2.7 million tonnes in April, which was the largest haul on the rails since March 2023 (2.8 million). These numbers are in part a reflection of higher production in 2022 and 2023 compared with 2021. Poor growing conditions in Western Canada led to a 14-year production low in 2021, and from July 2021 to August 2022, monthly carloadings did not surpass 1.8 million tonnes.

In every month since the current carloadings data series began in 1999, wheat has been the top food commodity shipped. By comparison, wheat ranks behind only iron ores and concentrates and coal and it hovers just above or below potash in a typical month of non-intermodal carloadings.

Canola a close second to wheat; record high reached in 2022

In recent years, canola has come close to wheat but has never surpassed it in terms of tonnes shipped. In May 2024, 808 294 tonnes of canola were moved by rail in Canada, down from the 905 310 tonnes moved in the previous month.

Carloadings of canola are typically highest in the fourth quarter, after most of it is harvested. A record 1.5 million tonnes of canola were on the rails in October 2022, and it topped 1 million tonnes 42 other times dating back to 2009. Canola production dropped to a nine-year low in 2021, before increasing in 2022 and 2023.

Other cereal grains more prone to monthly fluctuation

In May 2024, other cereal grains (such as corn, rye, barley, oats, rice, millet and buckwheat) came in behind canola, at 609 931 tonnes. This was down from the previous three months (February, March and April). In April 2021, a record 892 000 tonnes were shipped by rail, while October 2020 (872 004 tonnes) and March 2021 (841 282 tonnes) notched second and third all-time.

Animal or vegetable fats, oils and flours

Carloadings in the animal or vegetable fats, oils and flours category have generally grown over time. In fact, 177 033 tonnes shipped in January 1999, the start of the data series, and in May 2024, 436 674 tonnes shipped.

The record high was 48 930 tonnes on the rails in November 2023, while 63 other months since 2010 have edged above 400 000 tonnes.

Fresh, chilled or dried vegetables

In May 2024, 118 753 tonnes of fresh, chilled or dried vegetables were on Canadian rails, down from 561 576 tonnes the previous September. Carloadings typically peak in the fall harvest months, like other seasonal commodities. An all-time high of 1.2 million tonnes shipped in September 2016.

Other categories

Another seasonal carloading that peaks in the fall harvest months is other oil seeds and nuts, and other agricultural products (such as soybeans), with 55 776 tonnes shipped in May 2024 and 810 167 tonnes shipped the previous October.

The 98 796 tonnes of milled grain production and preparations, bakery products shipped in May was the highest since March 2022, though this category is less seasonal in nature. Shipments of sugar are also fairly steady from month to month, and 49 192 tonnes of it sweetened the rails in May 2024.

Prepared food stuffs not elsewhere classified, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and meat, fish, and seafood preparations were also part of May’s carloadings, in relatively smaller amounts.

To learn more

Visit the Monthly Railway Carloadings: Interactive Dashboard for the latest data and historical comparisons of all commodities shipped by rail in Canada.