Transportation

Eastern Washington wheat farmers have two essential transportation alternatives where much of the rest of the nation only has one.

Rail service and barge transportation work together to move millions of bushels to ocean export locations each year. The competition that results from two alternatives keeps transportation rates lower here than in other states that have only one source of movement. Farmers with only one transportation alternative are called “captive shippers”.
BNSF Hopper Car
Wheat Barge

About 60 percent of the state's grain moves on the Columbia/Snake River System with the other 40 percent loaded at one of five 110 car rail shuttles.

Washington State owns several short line railways which elevator companies use to move wheat to central locations where it joins the main track.
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Maintaining the Columbia/Snake River System is a major priority for the Washington Grain Commission and the farmers it represents.
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