03/14/08 Rail customers rally for rail freight progress

Farm and Ranch March 14, 2008 There was a rally in Washington D.C. this week of Customers United for Rail Equity, or CURE. Representatives of Washington's potato industry couldn't be there but Washington State Potato Commission Assistant Executive Director Karen Bonaudi says they support the work of CURE. The Staggers Act, passed by Congress in 1980, charged the Surface Transportation Board or STB, with overseeing the railroads to monitor the industry for potential monopoly abuse and to give rail customers an outlet for relief. But Bonaudi says the STB has either found in favor of the Class 1 railroads or done nothing to support customers since its beginning. She says service has been dwindling such that potato shippers now rely primarily on trucking. Bonaudi says just between 2001 to 2006 rail freight rates increased 40-60 percent depending on the destination. Add to that fuel surcharges, which run from 17-18 percent. Bonaudi: "What that has done for us is added nearly five-thousand per car to get to Boston and two-thousand dollars per car to get to Chicago. That is in addition to the fee for the rail car." What the CURE rally celebrated in Washington D.C. this week was the fact that after 25 years, Congress is discussing and acting to support reform. Legislation has been introduced and is gaining momentum with the support of congressional champions like Washington Senator Maria Cantwell. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.