In just the past two decades, the grain buying and selling journey has shifted dramatically for Western Canadian growers. The era of wooden elevators with long waits and manual processes is over. In its replacement is a streamlined, tech-driven operation built for scale and speed. A needed development, as today’s growers are producing, on average, 3x more grain than a generation ago.
At the centre of this infrastructure evolution is Richardson Pioneer, whose capital investment strategy has positioned the agribusiness as a leader in Canada’s grain handling and export business. Ongoing facility upgrades, including best-in-class rail loop tracks and fertilizer treating systems, are what’s pushed Richardson Pioneer to the height of industry standard and performance. And with more than 90 locations across Western Canada, Canadian growers are feeling the impact of a business that’s committed to growing with them and their industry for the long-term.
Leading Richardson Pioneer’s growth strategy are its Senior Directors, who oversee capital growth initiatives across their respective geographical zone, ranging from Northwestern Alberta to Southeastern Manitoba. When asked about the purpose of these capital upgrades, speed and efficiency for growers is the common denominator among the group. The reasoning is simple: Less time spent at the elevator allows more critical hours in the field for planting, spraying, and harvesting crops.
(Senior Director, Zone 1)
(Senior Director, Zone 2)
(Senior Director, Zone 3)
(Senior Director, Zone 4)
(Senior Director, Zone 5)
“Our elevator and blender speeds have made a big difference in efficiency on the farm,” says Carter Kolybaba (Senior Director, Zone 4). “Especially in the spring, when growers are lining up to receive their inputs and the weather is chasing down the clock, it’s hard to quantify what it means to go from sitting in line for several hours to now getting them in and out of the site in 20 to 30 minutes.”
Across all five zones, faster turnaround times and access to new technology is the priority — and has been for decades. This proactive and widespread approach has put Richardson Pioneer in the spot it is today, leading the marketspace with best-in-class assets that put the grower first.
Note: While some Richardson Pioneer locations await infrastructure upgrades such as these, all locations are strategically within distance of a fully upgraded site, ensuring access to new technology is possible across all zones.
“By investing so heavily in our operations, they [growers] see that we’re in it with them for the long run, and that is meaningful assurance,” says Marty Dickie (Senior Director, Zone 2). “And as our customers invest in their own farms with new technology and upgrades, they understand the importance of being efficient in their operations. They want a partner who will work with them in that regard, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Of course, to run a first-class facility, it takes more than upgraded assets. It takes a team of skilled people.
“We’re constantly investing in our staff, too,” says Todd Moffatt (Senior Director, Zone 5). “You can have good assets, but it’s our people who truly make the difference with the levels of service.”
Through training programs like CropWatch™ Innovation Tours and ongoing business development initiatives, Richardson Pioneer is focused on developing a well-rounded agronomic service for its grower customers, one with highly skilled people at the helm of a modern and efficient infrastructure network.
With grain production volumes aiming even higher across Western Canada, efficiency isn’t just a bonus, it’s a necessity. Richardson Pioneer’s decades-long investment in its infrastructure and people has created a nationwide model centred on this principle. And as the industry continues to evolve, Richardson remains committed to growing alongside the farmers it serves, not just keeping pace, but setting the pace for what’s next.
