By Cierra Allen, Program Manager, and Bryan Nickerson, Membership Director
In mid-August, the Western Growers Leadership Program (WGLP) and several WGLP alumni had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit a Nutrien potash mine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
To start our trip, the WGLP group, along with a few Nutrien employees, arrived early Monday morning to the Nutrien Cory Potash Mine, located about 20 minutes outside of Saskatoon.
Before heading underground, we first went through several safety training courses and reviewed the necessary precautions for our visit. We then suited up in hard hats equipped with lamps, protective jumpsuits, goggles and oxygen self-rescuers. Once we were fully prepped, we climbed into a large elevator for the four-minute descent to 1 kilometer (over 3,000 feet) into the mine.
Once we made it down, we were greeted by surprisingly warm 81 degree temperatures. Our tour guides liked to mention that while 81 degrees may seem a bit warm, the temperature stays consistent year-round, regardless of the weather on the surface. That means that when the temperatures plunge during the winter, the mine isn’t that bad of a place to work.
Once underground, we loaded into electric ATVs and off we went to the “face,” or area where the potash was actively being mined that day. The mining face was about 15 kilometers, or about a 45-minute drive, from the elevator.
Yes, you read that correctly. We traveled 45 minutes through the underground tunnels, getting farther and farther away from the elevator—the same elevator that served as our only way in or out. Needless to say, it was a little nerve-racking.
The group consensus was that the best way to describe that trek through the mine was the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. You know the one: you are in a jeep, traveling fast through dark tunnels, with ropes hanging from the ceiling and gates that suddenly stop your vehicle? It was remarkably similar to our trip as we drove through dark tunnels only illuminated by the ATVs’ headlights, passing through large underground “garages” operated by ropes hanging from the ceiling, zooming along in twisting tunnels.
Eventually, we arrived at the mining face, where we got to see a massive machine called a continuous miner actively cutting into the potash. The continuous miner uses a large rotating cutting drum to break apart the potash from the rock. The mined material is then collected and transported by several miles of conveyor belts toward the surface.
After exploring more of the mine, we made our way back to the elevator and returned to the surface.
Once our mine tour was over, it was time to head to the mill portion of the facility to see what happens after the potash is brought out of the ground. This is where the raw ore is processed and transformed into a finished product ready for transport.
We were able to see the process from start to finish: from the arrival of the raw ore, to crushing and sizing, separating the potassium chloride from the salt, cleaning and concentrating the product, drying it and finally seeing the different types of finished potash.
After seeing the finished product, we then got to see how it makes its way to customers. We watched the process of loading the potash into railcars, where they average about 77 rail cars per day and ship about 2.4 million tons of potash a year.
While the potash produced at this mine is primarily used for fertilizer that gets shipped around the world, potash also has a variety of industrial and medical uses.
It was a very eventful and informative day, and we feel extremely fortunate and grateful to have had the opportunity to experience something that so few people ever get to see firsthand.
You may have noticed that this article has two authors. There is a reason for that: one of us came down with a terrible bout of the flu and was unfortunately unable to make it to the activities of day two. So, while we may have started this adventure together, only one of us made it through the entire experience.
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Following a full day observing Nutrien’s Cory Potash Mining operations, the group had the opportunity to visit the breeding facility located on the University of Saskatchewan campus. The University of Saskatchewan and Nutrien share a long-standing partnership focused on advanced agricultural research, including crop breeding and development.
Led by Senior Director Bruce Harrison, the tour provided an inside look at the facility’s on-site laboratories, where subject matter experts shared insights into molecular science, chemistry and plant pathology. The group also received a hands-on tour of the greenhouse facilities, highlighting the research and breeding efforts focused on developing climate-resilient crops and advancing agricultural innovation.
In the afternoon, the group traveled to the Nutrien Tower in downtown Saskatoon for a series of presentations from Nutrien leadership. The presentations provided valuable insight into the company’s approach to quality management, economic and market research, distribution and logistics and proprietary innovation. Collectively, the sessions offered a broader perspective on the complex business operations and strategic considerations that support the global agricultural supply chain.
The day concluded with a private tour of Black Fox Distillery, operated by fifth-generation farmers John Cote and Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote. The farm and distillery provide a unique example of agricultural entrepreneurship and value-added production, with nearly 95 percent of the ingredients used in their products—including triticale, grains, fruits and flowers—grown on their own farm.
More than simply a distillery, Black Fox represents a living farm, a cultural symbol, and a compelling testament to the connection between agriculture, craftsmanship and entrepreneurship. The operation has earned significant recognition, including Saskatchewan and Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers awards, as well as Saskatoon’s Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2018.
Altogether, the trip was one for the books. The WGLP Class VIII and alumni were able to bond and share experiences like no other. From traveling more than 3,000 feet underground to watching potash go from raw ore to a finished product ready to be shipped around the world, to learning all about Nutrien and its part in the agriculture industry, the experience gave us all a whole new appreciation for the scale and complexity of the potash industry. We are incredibly thankful to Nutrien and their amazing team for their generosity.