Fixing Lewiston

Over the past two days, we have been discussing the tumultuous situation at Port of Lewiston where, due to a year-long labor dispute with unions, container ships from Lewiston are no longer available to Northwest farmers. This has caused major problems to, among others, pulse crop producers who wish to export their commodities to overseas buyers. Sean O'Connell of Pacific Northwest Farmers Co-op says losing water transportation is a big blow to the entire region and worries that growers will plant other crops. "It concerns me a lot. Our company as well as a lot of other companies have built programs based upon these crops. If farmers choose other options, then that makes me wonder what I am going to do. We have a lot of people who work in this division and a lot of families that rely on these crops being grown." Bert Brockey, from George Brockey, and Sons Warehouse where most of the legumes In the area are processed for overseas shipments says they are doing everything possible to keep shipping costs low. The best resolution would be to have the river back. "We are doing everything we can to maintain and move forward the same way that we always have. We don't want any differences, hopefully, at all. There was some talk today about having to pass it on to the grower. Unfortunately, at some point, it will come to that. We hope that we get a river system back so that we can keep our good rates and move forward that way."