03/03/06 Cold chain study of spud products

Farm and Ranch March 3, 2006 Representatives of the Washington potato industry and state government have met with and selected the company which will help establish, provide cars and manage the Washington Produce Railcar Pool. Paul Vander Stoep of the Washington Perishable Shippers Cooperative Association says Rail Logistics LC out of Overland Park, Kansas is the company. Vander Stoep: "They are prepared to start providing refrigerated rail cars this fall, late summer, for the movement of these products that will add to the total rail car capacity and make it easier for rail shippers in Washington to have access to railroads for moving their products." Vander Stoep says Rail Logistics currently has 75 refurbished refrigerated cars but plans to increase that to one thousand. Vander Stoep: "And the number of cars that would be provided for Washington shippers would be dependent upon the acceptance and demand for cars. They don't intend to put all one-thousand into Washington state but they certainly will expand the fleet well beyond the 75 as demand increases." Details of the long-term contract will be determined through a series of meetings with mainline railroads and shippers expected to be held later this month and Vander Stoep hopes those meetings, when announced, will be well attended by perishable shippers. The Produce Rail Car Program is the result of the work of numerous people and groups including the Washington State Potato Commission. 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.