Dakota senator demands feds ease box shortage for farm exports

THE US Department of Transportation has been easing the shortage of containers to facilitate American agricultural exports.

"Our must be able to rely on the transportation network to get their products to markets, and that network must not unduly penalise those who are in rural areas," said North Dakota Democratic senator Kent Conrad in a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, reported the Bismarck Tribune, North Dakota.

According to Senator Conrad, shippers located away from hub ports face high prices to bring empty containers to inland locations such as North Dakota, as well as difficulties in reserving containers.

Producers of identity protected crops, which are marketed with verifiable information on organic certification, use of genetic modification and other production factors, rely on sealed containers, the report noted.

"That was one of the biggest problems with United Pulse," said Russ Staiger, head of the Bismarck-Mandan Development Association. United Pulse Trading planned to build a processing plant in Bismarck but abandoned the proposal and eventually located a facility in Williston.

Mr Staiger does not expect the situation to be rectified soon. "If it happens in two years, it's going to be a miracle," he said.
(Source:www.schednet.com)