Railroads ready for wheat harvest: Some of last year's record crops were lost for lack of transportation.

Jun 23, 2008 (The Pueblo Chieftain - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- UNP | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Railroad officials have assured Eastern Plains wheat growers they are prepared for the state's wheat harvest this summer, unlike last year when tons of grain spoiled in grain elevators and on the ground.

"It was a good meeting and I think everyone is satisfied that we are ready for this year's harvest," Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., said after chairing a meeting between wheat growers and officials with Union Pacific and the BNSF railroads. "The railroads said they are pre-positioning rail cars to be ready for the harvest this year."

The meeting took place June 13 in Swink and included growers and grain elevator operators.

Colorado farmers produced a record wheat crop in 2007, totaling more than 89 million bushels. This year's crop is expected to be smaller, around 70 million bushels.

"That was part of the problem," Salazar said. "The railroads and the grain elevators had not anticipated that large a crop and then there wasn't adequate transportation available." Last summer, Gov. Bill Ritter declared a disaster emergency to make more trucks available to haul grain.

Salazar said some wheat harvesting will begin later this month.

Last year's bumper wheat crop came after winter blizzards that killed livestock. All the snow paid off, however, for growers who said the wheat harvest was the best in nearly a decade.

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