08/17/07 Wash Potato Commissioners on Transport study group

Farm and Ranch August 17, 2007 During the legislative session earlier this year there was a proposal to impose a fee on shipping containers moving through Washington ports. Such a fee would have impacted Washington's potato industry and many others, but it was not adopted. Karen Bonaudi, assistant executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission explains what did happen. Bonaudi: "The bill was amended during the session to provide a study to evaluate the imposition of a container fee and also look at other mechanisms to gather funding for freight mobility and to ease port congestion, which are really necessary. We feel really fortunate that we have two commissioners, two representatives from the potato industry, on this particular panel." Those are Potato Commissioners Darrin Morrison of Skagit Valley and Jared Balcom of Pasco. Bonaudi: "The stakeholders group is to come up with their research, with their study and with their recommendations to the Joint Transportation Committee by December. It has to go to the legislature when it convenes in January." The group recently held its first meeting and Commissioner Morrison says it was interesting to see the other players and find out what their issues were. The next meeting is in September. 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.