Here's a short, but good, article about the farmers' traditional dilemma.
It's a reasonable discussion of the push-pull forces of northwest mega-corporations,
farm cooperatives, union and non-union workers, and local governments
... each following the dictum: "All politics is local"
The Oregonian
Richard Read
October 27, 2012
Wheat growers nervously watch Northwest grain talks, hoping to avoid longshore lockout
Quote:
MORO, Ore. -- Fourth generation farmer Darren Padget wrestled
with a whirling grain auger last week that loaded wheat seed into a truck driven by his father.
During the past two years, nature blessed Padget's 98-year-old
family farm in rolling hills south of the Columbia River Gorge.
Rains came in June and held off during the summer harvest.
The combine took in 50 bushels an acre, up from the normal 40.
Prices, driven by distant events such as a Russian drought, remain strong.
But at the last step, on Portland-area docks, the outcome is suddenly jeopardized by factors beyond farmers' control.
Wheat, corn and soybeans barged and hauled to the six terminals involved
in the talks come from as far away as the Dakotas and beyond.
The terminals handle almost half the nation's wheat exports.
The threat of a lockout looms as a federal mediator
takes over talks Monday between the West Coast longshore union and terminals
that handle a quarter of the nation's grain exports.
There's a sense in wheat country that longshoremen and terminal owners are far apart.
"It's a little disheartening when you've got a hiccup in the supply chain," Padget said.
"And whatever agreement they eventually come to, I've got to pay for it, because we're at the end of the food chain."
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[video here]
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