Log Jam in Lewiston

Yesterday we reported that Lewiston Port has been virtually shut down due to a year-long labor dispute with unions. Thus, container ships from Lewiston are no longer available to Northwest farmers for transporting, among other things, their pulse crops to foreign ports. Alternative solutions are being proposed. Bert Brockey, from George Brockey, and Sons Warehouse where most of the legumes In the area are processed for overseas shipments says they have a short term solution. “We have come up with short-term answers for using rail, trucks to take them to Tacoma to get them shipped. We are using direct trucks and anything and everything we can.”

 

Sean O’Connell of Pacific Northwest Farmers Co-op says losing water transportation is a big blow to the entire region. “Without access to the river and that shipping lane, will cause a lot of logistics problems, not only for processors but for other companies in the US and this will add costs to our producers. One of the biggest problems I see is we have become known as a reliable shipper, not just PNW about the industry. This will put a strain on that relationship that we have with our customers overseas.” O’Connell worries that growers will plant other crops.