CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA — John Brooks, Canadian Pacific (CP) vice-president marketing and sales, bulk, said on Dec. 9 that the company continues to move more grain from North Dakota to key markets domestically and internationally as it invests in its network.

"The CP team is focused on investing more, moving more and working with all stakeholders to strengthen the supply chain," said Brooks.

Brooks joined officials from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture, North Dakota Corn Growers Association and other grain shippers, academic experts in agribusiness and industry peers at the "Post-harvest Handling and Transportation for Agricultural Products: Issues and Challenges" conference in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S. The symposium was hosted by North Dakota State University's Center for Agriculture Policy and Trade Studies, and organized by U.S. Sens. Heidi Heitkamp and John Hoeven of North Dakota.

"It's a privilege to take part in an open forum with such distinguished participants from the public and private sectors to discuss the issues and opportunities in transporting grain in North America," said Brooks. In Brooks' remarks at the conference, he highlighted the following key points:

• CP is well positioned to move grain with its rail partners to the East and West markets.
• CP plans to invest over $500 million in infrastructure on its upper plains network between 2014 and 2016.
• Every component of the supply chain must work together to move more grain
• CP's current grain performance is robust. Record levels of grain were moved to the Pacific Northwest in October.
• Asset velocity will be a key in driving sustainable growth with its customers.