Potato, onion shippers, growers to hold June meeting
Discussion topics include rail car pool, water issues
Washington potato and onion growers and shippers will hold their next meeting in Oregon.
The joint board of the Washington Potato & Onion Association (WP&OA) and the Washington Perishable Shippers Cooperative Association (WPSCA) will hold its annual summer meeting in Sunriver, Ore., from June 13 to 15.
The agenda covers a variety of local, national and global issues, pertinent to raising and transporting Washington potatoes and onions.
Rail transport issues will be led by Paul Vander Stoep of the WPSCA, who will discuss the proposed rail rate agreement for the upcoming season. He will be joined by representatives of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad to discuss rail transportation issues. Additionally, Randy Peterson from Tri-City Railroad will make a presentation on the company's new rail produce shipping program.
Rick Agnew of the consulting firm of VanNess Feldman will present updates on federal issues such as the state's request for funding for the rail car pool program and other appropriations requests; captive shipper rail reform; recent salmon listing decisions and the status of water issues and litigation.
A panel discussion led by Olympia advisors Charlie Brown and Jim Jesernig will review Washington state environmental, water quality, chemical usage, energy, land use, minimum wage, employment, tax and trade issues.
On the national scene, Tim O'Connor, president and CEO, and Mac Johnson, vice president, from the US Potato Board in Denver, will update the group on the Board's potato nutrition education campaign. Attorney Joel Junker will also give an update on the British Columbia market access issue.
In other business, the 11-member board will elect new trustees and officers for the 2004-05 year, adopt an annual budget and conduct other routine business.
Current WP&OA and WPSCA trustees are Mark Johnson, Jared Balcom, Ann Van Dyke, Blake Bennett, Jeff Jones, Bart Connors, Del Christensen, Marvin Vietz, Ron Stetner, Pat Floyd and Scott Nesbit.