03/22/06 Murray gets ag input

Washington Ag March 22, 2006 Before beginning a roundtable discussion of agricultural issues at a meeting in Moses Lake this week, Washington U.S. Senator Patty Murray talked about a successful federal-state effort to address one of agriculture's problems, getting fresh produce to market by rail. Murray was able to get two million dollars in federal funds to help implement a refrigerated rail car program established by the state legislature. Through a contract with a private company the state hopes to have refrigerated rail cars available for perishable shippers this summer. Murray: "We had some success. We got the federal government to understand that they need to step up to the problem. And working with our partners in the state legislature and WSDOT we are moving forward on this critical challenge to this industry." During the issue roundtable Murray heard the fruit industry's need for a guest worker program to be included in an immigration bill, potato growers urged support for legislation creating a uniform national standard for food health labeling, cattlemen sought support on Endangered Species Act reform and reduction or elimination of the estate tax and wheat growers urged support for federal assistance for high fuel and fertilizer costs, exempting agriculture from the Jones Act, and for allowing more development of offshore energy in the Gulf. I'm Bob Hoff.