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Perdue readies for Western Maryland soybean harvest
08/05/03
By MARK POWELL and
CAROL KINSLEY
Farms officials expect to have a Carroll County, Md., facility set up to receive soybeans from Western Maryland and Pennyslvania farmers by this autumn’s harvest.
Speaking to the Maryland Grain Producers Association and the Maryland Soybean Association July 24 in Centreville, Md., Perdue executive John Cassidy said, “180 rail cars have been ‘tucked away’ for this project.” That many cars could carry more than half a million bushels. Utilizing the cars for a minimum three-month period, Cassidy estimates in six moves Perdue could carry 3 mllion bushels to its soybean crushing plant in Chesapeake, Va. Basis there is higher because there is greater demand at the larger facility than in Salisbury, Md.
Western Maryland and southeastern Pennsylvania farmers produce about 11 million bushels of soybeans, but Cassidy said much of the 7 million bushels being produced in southeastern Pennsylvania is being used locally in the dairy industry.
Western Maryland farmers have been concerned about the loss of export facilities at the Port of Baltimore. Without it, they will be forced to truck soybeans significant distances.
“This is just a quick fix,” Cassidy said. A state task force examining the issues with a goal of reporting to the legislature later this year has a larger vision for a longer term solution.
“We are not trying to circumvent the task force, but to provide a reasonable fix for this fall. This is the quickest way to take the pressure off,” Cassidy explained. “It’s not a final solution.”
Perdue, the region’s major consumer of soybeans, is exploring possible barging facilities in Harford, Kent and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland.
“We sold more than 8 million bushels of beans out of Chesapeake two years ago. We intend to sell into the export market,” Cassidy added.