09/15/06 Deal done on Produce Rail Car Pool

Farm and Ranch September 15, 2006 A unique, much-needed and comprehensive project to establish the Washington Produce Railcar Pool program reached fruition with the signing on Friday, August 18th of the contract between the Washington State Department of Transportation and Rail Logistics, LC of Overland Park, Kansas. It's a project the Washington Potato Commission has been working on since 2002. Rail Logistics will lease up to 50 refrigerated rail cars to the State, and manage their use for the State and Washington shippers during the current peak season. As demand grows the program will expand. Paul Vander Stoep, manager of the Washington Perishable Shippers Cooperative Association, says Rail Logistics truly did its homework on the project. Vander Stoep: "They seem like knowledgeable people. There is a lot of experience that they have. They have been very good to work with. So I am excited. I think they are going to do a fine job." U.S. Senator Patty Murray, who secured two million dollars in federal funding for the Produce Rail Car Program, says thanks to the hard work and creativity of the Washington State Potato Commission and the Washington Department of Transportation, those dollars will begin helping the state's potato growers and economy. State Representative Janea Holmquist led a state effort that obtained 200-thousand dollars for start-up funding from the legislature. Through streamlining and efficiencies that's been reduced to an initial 40-thousand and a maximum of 40-thousand per biennium for Department of Transportation oversight. 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.