Monday, August 11, 2014
USDA blames Port of Vancouver for lack of inspections at United Grain
The Port of Vancouver, Washington, is facing strong criticism from the federal government over a reported lack of inspections at United Grain Corporation that has all but shut down the West Coast’s largest grain elevator.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said its safety experts have determined "that the Port of Vancouver has not been enforcing its rules of conduct" to allow state or federal grain inspectors to safely move through a picketed gate to reach United Grain’s export terminal.
The letter responded to requests by United Grain to send federal officials to take over inspections in the absence of state officials. The U.S. Agriculture department has so far refused to do so but says it’s reviewing the issue.
Washington state Department of Agriculture inspectors have refused to enter the port since July 7, reportedly due to threats from union demonstrators.
In the letter, the USDA cited a similar labor conflict at the Columbia Grain facility at the Port of Portland, noting that that situation has been managed better than at the Port of Vancouver "and does not present the same safety concerns for the (federal) inspectors" who examine grain in Portland.
Port of Vancouver spokeswoman Theresa Wagner said that officials have "worked diligently since the dispute began to provide necessary professional security services to keep people entering and exiting (the port) safe. This included close collaboration between the port’s team and both the Vancouver Police Department and the Washington State Patrol."
The correspondence is another consequence of the 17-month-long labor conflict that was inflamed when United Grain locked out International Longshore and Warehouse Union workers in February 2013. Since then, the union workers have picketed outside the company’s facility at the port and near the company’s headquarters in downtown Vancouver.
For more of The Columbian story: www.columbian.com
More Newswire stories
Maersk to raise U.S. inland tariffs in September on "intermodal stress"
Labor conflict at United Grain endangers Montana’s $1B wheat crop
Port of Stockton to switch barge service from weekly to "as needed"
Scarab beetle found in banana shipment at Port of Wilmington
Home | The Magazine | Conferences | Port Handbooks | Newswire | Advertise | Ocean Schedules | Contact
CBN Archives | About CBN | Subscribe to CBN | Marine Fuels Conference | Southeast Freight Conference | Heartland Shippers’ Conference | Port Productivity Conference | Pacific Northwest Ports Handbook
Golden Gates Ports Handbook | Southern California Ports Handbook | Buy Handbooks | Subscirbe to Newswire | Newswire Archives | Upload Files