Equine Herpes & Shipping Per Diem Charges

Equine Herpes & Shipping Per Diem Charges. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

A number of horses in Oregon have tested positive for the equine herpes virus with two showing neurological symptoms. The horses had all attended the Oregon High School Equestrian Team meet at the Linn County Fairgrounds in mid-April. Dr. Ryan Scholz, veterinarian with the Oregon Animal Health Program says they are being cautious.

SCHOLZ: We're certainly not calling it an outbreak by any means but we do have multiple connected cases, two of which are neurologic and two of them are just shedding. We are asking anyone who was at the initial show we have asked that they all stay home but beyond that it's just taking extra precautions, making sure you have good biosecurity and working with your vet for monitoring and prevention.

Ag exporters are making a lot of noise about another port issue. Per diem container detention charges. The ports have been charging for delays not being caused by the exporters but by the shipping companies themselves and exporters are being hit with millions of dollars in unfair charges. Peter Friedmann, Executive Director of the Agriculture Transportation is urging Congress to encourage Chairman Cordero and the Commission to compel the ocean carriers to waive all per diem charges imposed during the period of West Coast port congestion, roughly November 1, 2014 through April 15, 2015.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.