While lock maintenance starting Dec. 10 on the Columbia and Snake rivers will force some growers transporting crops to Portland’s port to switch from barges to truck and rail, industry representatives say planning — and a little luck — have combined to make the closures less of a burden.
“The reality is we’ve lost one mode of transportation,” said Bryce Olson, Pendleton Grain Growers grain marketer and broker. “You just want to make sure whoever you’re selling to has a plan for that time period or the storage to carry it to a later date.”
While some cooperatives rely on barges, his also ships via rail, so the loss of the river isn’t a big deal, he said.