1.   Canada will challenge any U.S. attempt to block its grain shipments under the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canadian Trade Minister Art Eggleton said.

2.   Canadian National Railway Co. said its third-quarter earnings surged on strong grain shipments and cost-control efforts.

3.   Earnings are being helped by improved productivity, moderate weather and lower diesel fuel prices, in addition to grain shipments recovering from a weak year-earlier period.

4.   Grain shipments are up slightly from the depressed levels of a year ago.

5.   Most U.S. railroads boosted profits in the fourth quarter, offsetting lower grain shipments by cutting costs.

6.   Profit at Union Pacific Corp., which has operations concentrated in the Midwest and depends heavily on grain shipments, will be hit hardest, analysts said.

7.   Record cold winter weather on the Prairies and record snow in the mountains in British Columbia have disrupted grain shipments to the West Coast for several months.

8.   The company also had to pay higher equipment-rental costs because of delayed grain shipments.

9.   The company also had to pay higher equipment rental costs because of delayed grain shipments.

10.   The Parana in the past hindered growth because of the lack of bridges that span the huge waterway, which is now a conduit for grain shipments.