The CWB computer system, working with western Canada's railways, uses the train runs to assemble railcars efficiently into trains. The CWB also organizes the placement of ships for export cargoes, and several other factors involved in marketing the seven classes of wheat, and the classes of barley for which it is responsible. The movement of wheat is controlled by computer. It begins at the farm, from which the wheat is moved to the most convenient local primary elevator, of which there are about 1300 in western Canada. These are all situated adjacent to railway lines.
Primary elevators receive wheat from farmers and ship it in railcars to the terminal ports.
With very few exceptions, the primary elevators are owned and operated by eight grain elevator companies. The other four are privately-owned. Primary elevator managers serve as agents of the CWB in the handling of wheat and most classes of barley. When farmers deliver grain to a primary elevator their grain is weighed, graded and tested for dockage, and moisture and protein contents by the country elevator manager, who is an employee of the elevator company. This payment is referred to as the Initial payment.