Capital Press reports that Pacific Northwest hay growers will continue to be squeezed on export prices until the cost of shipping from Seattle and Tacoma decreases to be in line with Los Angeles, exporters told growers at the Northwest Hay Expo.

"That could take years, but growers need to talk with state legislators to help the ports, exporters said at the conference held by the Washington State Hay Growers Association at Kennewick’s Three Rivers Convention Center, Jan. 15-16," wrote Dan Wheat. "It costs exporters about $300 per container to ship hay to Asia from Los Angeles ports versus $900 from Seattle. Because of that the Pacific Northwest is losing ground to the Pacific Southwest in hay exports. Hay is being trucked from as far as Alberta to Los Angeles ports, exporters said."

Wheat goes onto note that road access to ports is one important component to addressing this problem. Indeed, hay exporters like Calaway Trading have already identified themselves as a supporter of SR-167 completion, recognizing that the project serves as the critical last mile for their product to get to the Port of Tacoma's docks for export.

“There are huge opportunities for developing export demands and they will continue to increase,” said Edward Shaw, president and CEO of International Quality Forage & Feed, Carstairs, Alberta. The question is whether the Legislature wants to support those exports by passing a revenue package or let that business go out-of-state.