Planning for major lock closures
Farm and Ranch April 7, 2010 Just about anyone involved in the Pacific Northwest wheat industry should know by now about the planned closure of barge transportation on the Columbia-Snake River system late this year into early 2011. John Oades of U.S. Wheat Associates says wheat commissions in the region asked the organization to help. Oades: “Clearly we are going to have a shortage of movement of soft white during that period of time. It is 2 ½ to three or four months long. So we are actively working with key soft white customers to buy ahead a ways on their soft white. In some cases that may mean delaying some of their red wheat purchases during the lock closure as that can be delivered by rail into Portland.” Oades is optimistic about the outcome of all the planning going on. Oades: “Well I know there are of really good minds working on this. Each of the exporters in Portland has a plan. We have been working with the wheat commissions on planning. The railroads, the barges are working on planning. So I guess I have a fairly positive attitude that with all that horsepower applied we ought to have reasonably good solutions in place.” The extended closure will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do major maintenance at several locks on the river system including replacement of lock gates. This is being made possible by federal stimulus funds. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
