and seed, will pass through the port, improving access for southern Ontario producers and agribusiness. Hurkmans and his team are also working to raise $3 million to rebuild the port’s agri-dome, which was destroyed in the 2011 tornado that levelled much of the town. Plans call for the agri-dome to provide 30,000 tonnes of sheltered holding capacity. And finally, this year the port’s winter shore-power-ready berthing capacity will grow to moor five ships, up from two last year. That’s a boon to the local economy and a nod to the port’s capabilities. “We’re running at 110 per cent,” says Hurkmans, “and we’re running out of space. We’re anxious to grow our footprint.” JOHNSTOWN: BUILDING A SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTION At the Port of Johnstown, 100 kilometres south of Ottawa, V6 Agronomy is building what it calls a low-carbon terminal. From this facility, V6 will receive, store, and distribute a range of critical crop inputs, including enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) and commercial phosphates—a nutrient essential to modern agriculture and one that Canada currently produces none of domestically. The $2.6-million initial structure, for which construction began in July, will support vessel discharge capacity up to 18,000 tonnes. It’s the first of four planned buildings that will collectively store up to 150,000 tonnes of crop input materials on-site. “We're doing more than building a structure—we're building a supply chain solution,” says Ryan Brophy, CEO of V6 Agronomy. “This is a new chapter ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER COVER STORY 8 continued from page 7 for Canadian agriculture, where resilience, efficiency, and international trade intersect in a circular, farmer-first corridor. We're eliminating inefficiencies, reducing emissions, and leveraging assets that already exist. Marine, rail, and storage in one place." Brophy says the terminal marks phase one of a broader national infrastructure strategy. As he explains, Canadian farmers have long depended on U.S. imports routed through New Orleans and the Mississippi corridor, creating price and timing vulnerabilities. Now, V6 Agronomy's facility will help re-shore that dependency while connecting directly to the Canadian prairies by rail and to local farms by truck, using a turnkey vessel-to-rail and rail-to-vessel configuration. In collaboration with CN Rail, V6 is implementing a circular logistics model to reduce empty rail and vessel returns. Outbound phosphate shipments by rail will be paired with return loads of Canadian lentils, pulses, potash, grains, and sulphur, all high-demand commodities in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. The initial structure is expected to be complete this year. V6 Agronomy is seeking strategic capital to accelerate infrastructure development and build national distribution capacity. PORT WINDSOR EXPANSION SCHEDULED TO WRAP UP SHORTLY A $76-million expansion at Port Windsor by ADM is scheduled to wrap up shortly. The expansion is a “transformative project” that will significantly increase ADM’s export capacity to global markets and support agricultural production from southwestern Ontario farmers, says Dane Lisser, ADM’s media relations manager. Several of the phases of the construction project are complete, with one portion expected to be operational this fall. The company received $26.3 million from Ottawa for this project. “We tremendously value Transport Canada’s partnership and financial support of the expansion project,” Lisser says NEW BULK TERMINAL CONSTRUCTION IN PICTON A new bulk agricultural marine terminal at Picton Terminals in Prince Edward County will support eastern Ontario farmers by offering a closer, more efficient delivery option for their corn, wheat, and soybeans. CSL Welland loading Ontario-grown soybeans in the Port of Oshawa/HOPA Ports
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