Expediting Exports. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

The 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 requires 100 percent cargo screening on passenger airplanes to be implemented by August 2010.  Because half of all cherries exported from the Pacific Northwest are transported on passenger aircraft, new TSA screening requirements have been an issue of great concern to cherry growers. Congressman Doc Hastings has been working hard to help expedite that process.

HASTINGS: So to meet that 100% threshold we need to have adequate screening and the best screening has proven to be canine so I had a discussion on the floor of the House with the chairman of the subcommittee dealing with that issue and he said it was his intent to see that monies would be spent to increase the number of canines next year.

Hastings is quick to add that while this is an important issue here in the northwest it is also a national issue as well.

HASTINGS: The amendment that I had passed initially in another bill that had passed the House had bi-artisan support, so yeah, we have bipartisan support on this although we are a large cherry producer so we are a bit alone on that.

The key has been getting it screened in a timely manner so that it remains fresh. Some action is happening on this immediately.

HASTINGS: One of the areas that is affected at a higher level is the Sea-Tac airport over in Seattle and TSA has recognized that and they are moving more canine’s over in fact as we speak right now in order to inspect that cargo.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.