Agriculture committee  Mr. Hoback, it's Richard Wansbutter. I'd like to add to that and give some specifics when we're talking about logistics management. There is no doubt in my mind that it has improved and is better. One very specific area is that on the wheat and barley side of the equation, we as companies are now booking our own vessel freight.

Agriculture committee  Mr. Hoback, you just hit on it. Unfortunately I think we'd all like to move the crop in a very short timeframe, but there are huge demands on the system in the October, November, December timeframe, and we simply cannot move all of that demand. Would we like to move more? There is no doubt about that, to access higher price markets currently, but physically, we just can't do it.

Agriculture committee  I don't see any economic hiccups. As we stated at the outset, we do see increased market access. Mr. Ruest already touched on increased access for wheat and durum. The tariffs will fall over the next seven years and then fall to zero, so we'll have significant access on that side.

Agriculture committee  I think Mr. Holmes is quite accurate, and I would certainly support his statements. Whenever we're trying to access international markets, you will have glitches in the system. For example, when we had an issue in and around blackleg in canola, we ran the risk of having our exports of canola to China restricted or stopped altogether.

Agriculture committee  Good afternoon, Mr. Shipley, and thank you. I'm Richard Wansbutter representing Viterra. As you have already introduced the members, I'll skip over that and move very quickly into the substance of the brief presentation. I'd like to thank the members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food for allowing this opportunity to speak to you today.