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Washington Senator Pushes for Rail Competition Bill by WWC Staff Wheat Life, May 2007

Senator Maria Cantwell recently co-sponsored S. 953, the Rail Infrastructure and Competition Act of 2007. The legislation addresses poor service by railroads operating in markets with a lack of competition. Shippers (including wheat) from across industries and across states are pushing for assistance in addressing rail-shipping problems. The bipartisan legislation is gaining an increased amount of attention.

PNW wheat acreage increases

USDA reports winter wheat acreage in the PNW rose just 40,000 acres to 3.4-million acres for the 2007 crop. Washington is unchanged at 1.85-million acres, while Idaho is up 30,000 acres to 780,000 acres and acreage in Oregon is up 10,000 acres to 770,000 acres. Spring acreage saw larger increases with Washington up 30,000 acres to 460,000 acres, Idaho up 20,000 acres to 510,000 acres and Oregon up 10,000 acres to 130,000 acres. While overall, PNW spring wheat acreage is up 60,000 acres to 1.1-million acres the plantings level remains the third lowest since 1998.