Ceres Global Ag Corp. Announces $90 million Commodity Logistics Hub

New Northgate, Saskatchewan trade corridor will provide Canadian farmers and oil producers a new export option

NORTHGATE, SK, Feb. 5, 2013 /CNW/ - Canada's export economy is poised to get a boost from plans announced today by Ceres Global Ag Corp. (TSX-CRP) (Ceres) to develop a commodity logistics hub in Northgate, Saskatchewan connected to BNSF Railway's United States rail network.

Ceres has purchased 1,500 acres of land at Northgate, Saskatchewan where it intends to construct a new commodity logistics hub including two high efficiency rail loops, each capable of handling unit trains of up to 120 railcars. One loop will be dedicated to a grain handling and shipping facility, and the other to transloading and shipping oil. In addition, a logistics centre will unload imported equipment and materials for Saskatchewan's booming resource economy.

The connection to BNSF's network will give shippers direct access to customers in 28 states, numerous Pacific and Gulf ports, and Mexico along BNSF's 32,000 mile network, including over 45 crude-by-rail destinations.  Access to many other strategic interior locations and Atlantic ports are available through BNSF's rail connections.

Construction is planned to commence in the spring, subject to receipt of all necessary permits and approvals and finalization of agreements with project partners, with initial grain and oil shipments expected later in 2013. The total capital cost is budgeted to be $90 million. The facility will be built out over three years, and has been designed ultimately to handle up to 40 million bushels of grain annually and 70,000 barrels of oil per day. More than 100 construction jobs will be created, and about 30 ongoing jobs once the facility is fully operational.

The Scoular Company (Scoular), a major U.S.-based agricultural marketing company, is partnering with Ceres on the project. Scoular will fund, own and operate the grain handling facility. Ceres' grain subsidiary, Riverland Ag, will be a major customer of the grain facility, and will work closely with Scoular on the procurement of certain grains.

"The Northgate hub is good news for Canada's economy and particularly good for Saskatchewan and Western Canada. It will help ease the bottleneck of getting commodities - especially grain and oil - out of Saskatchewan and will provide a new and competitive option for shippers and exporters," said Michael Detlefsen, President of Ceres. "Ceres is delighted to have Scoular as a partner on this project, and to be introducing a new, major buyer of grain to the Canadian market."

"The Saskatchewan farmer is poised for much greater participation in an expanding and highly competitive global market," said Bob Ludington, Chief Operating Officer of Scoular.  "This important project gives high quality Canadian wheat direct line access to U.S. and Mexican flour millers, and will open extensive new markets for Canadian canola.  The Northgate hub will serve to shrink the distance between Canadian supply and global demand, expanding the marketing options for area producers tremendously."

The facility will also be very good news for Canadian oil producers looking for new, cost-competitive ways to get Saskatchewan oil to higher priced markets. "We are building on the significant experience we have gained from our investment in the Stewart Southern Railway, one of the largest transporters of oil by rail in Western Canada. Our discussions are nearing completion with a number of Canadian energy companies for take-or-pay oil transloading contracts at the Northgate facility," said Detlefsen.

Saskatchewan's economic development will also benefit from the facility's new import and distribution centre for equipment and materials needed by its booming energy and agricultural industries.

Based on a comprehensive and detailed environmental study, the facility has been designed to mitigate impacts on the environment. Engineering design work is well advanced, and the project team is working closely with regulatory authorities to secure the necessary permits and approvals.

Through the "Beyond the Border" initiative, Canada and the U.S. are committed to harmonizing customs processes in order to both enhance security and facilitate the efficient cross-border flow of commercial goods. As the Northgate commodity logistics hub will be a new inport-export facility, the parties are working closely with authorities on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to design the most efficient border processes possible.

About the Project Partners

The Scoular Company is a $6 billion revenue, century-old, employee-owned agricultural marketing company, managing commodity supply-chain risk for customers in growing segments of food, feed, and renewable fuel markets. From more than 70 locations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, nearly 700 Scoular employees tailor risk-management solutions for their customers by buying, selling, storing, and transporting grain and ingredients. Scoular Canada, Ltd. has been in operation since 1996.  Website: www.scoular.com

BNSF Railway, with a history stretching back over 160 years, is one of North America's leading freight transportation companies, with a rail network of 32,500 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces (Manitoba and British Columbia). With almost 40,000 employees and serving over 40 ports, BNSF is one of the top transporters of the products and materials that help feed, clothe, supply and power communities throughout the U.S. and the world. Website: www.bnsf.com

About Ceres Global Ag Corp.

Ceres Global Ag Corp. ("Ceres") owns 100% of Riverland Ag Corp. ("Riverland Ag") and 25% of the Stewart Southern Railway ("SSR"), and has significant capital available to invest in the growth of these and related businesses. Riverland Ag is an agricultural grain storage and supply chain business operating 15 grain storage facilities in Ontario, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and New York. The SSR is a short line railway that runs 130 kilometers in southeastern Saskatchewan and is one of the largest transporters of oil by rail in Western Canada.  Ceres common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CRP".

Cautionary Notice: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and United States securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the proposed construction of the Northgate, Saskatchewan logistics hub by Ceres and Scoular and matters relating thereto. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will",  "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Assumptions upon which such forward-looking information is based include, without limitation, that construction will be completed on time and on budget, all necessary regulatory permits and approvals will be obtained and definitive agreements entered into. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Ceres and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from results anticipated by such forward-looking information include unanticipated construction delays, delays in obtaining necessary regulatory permits or approvals, unexpected increases in the budgeted capital cost, or the inability to negotiate efficient border processes. Although Ceres has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results that are not anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Ceres undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

SOURCE: Ceres Gobal Ag Corp.

Media inquiries about this project:
John Perenack, [email protected] (quick response), 416-864-7112 x2233

Ceres Investor Relations inquiries:
Jason Gould, [email protected], 416-915-2426

Inquiries related specifically to Scoular:
Julie Heiliger, [email protected], 515-251-8292