Cramer: Grain Inspections Have Resumed at Port of Vancouver

BISMARCK, N.D. – Today Congressman Kevin Cramer announced official grain inspections at the Port of Vancouver have resumed after a tentative agreement was reached in a two-year labor dispute. The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) had suspended inspections entirely on July 1 after months of grain delays.

“This temporary agreement is good news, however I will continue monitoring the situation closely,” said Cramer. “It is crucial for the USDA and others to recognize we cannot allow local labor disputes to prevent the international trade of grain, threaten the livelihoods of agriculture producers, and weaken our relationships with trade partners. I certainly hope labor unions will not be allowed to create these kinds of disruptions to free trade in the future.”

Last November, and again on July 31, Cramer urged U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to take action on the delayed inspections at the western port due to the labor strikes requiring police escorts for inspectors reporting to work.

The letter Cramer sent to Vilsack with nine other Members of Congress on July 31 can be viewed here. Last November, Cramer wrote his own letter to Vilsack outlining his concerns on the issue. In addition, the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association and North Dakota Grain Growers Association signed a separate letter along with other commodity groups last week.