1/13/09 Export Issue

Export Issue. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. If you have been through an airport lately you know that some of the security restrictions have loosened a bit and members of TSA have actually been seen with a smile on their faces. But one aspect of air travel has not gotten easier, in fact just the opposite. THURLBY: This isn't unique to the produce industry. It's unique to everybody. Passenger aircraft cargo through the Transportation Safety Administration underneath Homeland Security, they have been charged by the Unites States Senate to look at every piece of luggage that goes on to a cargo aircraft whether its luggage or freight, transport freight. So every box, every container, everything has to be looked at. That's BJ Thurlby with the Washington State Fruit Growers Commission. That does include boxes of cherries, pears, apples and more. There has been considerable talk about this issue. THURLBY: Obviously we've come down to the conclusion that the perfect world would be if we are going to put something onto a passenger aircraft that somewhere somebody would have a full blown pallet scanner. TSA is looking for anything that should not be there as they do with you and your luggage. As long as it goes onto a passenger flight, it must be scanned. THURLBY: About 60% of our freight going overseas has gone on passenger aircraft but there is still a lot of space out there if we're really looking for it on your traditional just cargo freight aircraft and there's not a requirement on those planes. TSA is working with several agencies on how best to scan the pallets so they can quickly be released for export. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.