ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 29, 2008

NASDA BACKS END TO RAILROAD ANTI-TRUST EXEMPTION

WASHINGTON – The nation’s leading state agriculture officials have called for an end to the antitrust exemption for the railroads.

“The lack of competition among the railroads has resulted in unreasonably high rates and unreliable service for agriculture producers,” said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. “With the massive concentration in the rail industries, entire states, whole regions and even complete industries have become captive to a single railroad.”

Johnson, the president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), wrote a letter to congressional leaders, including U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, in support of Senate Bill 772, the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2007.

“This bill would amend federal antitrust laws to provide expanded coverage and to eliminate exemptions that are contrary to the public interest,” Johnson said. “The legislation will remove the antitrust exemption from railroads and, hopefully, begin a process where our nation’s railroads will become more responsive to the needs of our economy.”

Johnson said rail transportation is a critical component to the agriculture industry, and he noted that the legislation has widespread bipartisan support from members of both parties, especially those from agricultural states.

“It is critically important to ensure that rail customers have access to competitive rail service and that rail customers in those areas without competition have access to reliable rail service and are protected from unreasonable railroad rates and practices,” he said.

The bill was introduced by Sens. Herb Kohl (WI), Norm Coleman (MN), Russ Feingold (WI), David Vitter (LA) and Jay Rockefeller (WV).

NASDA, the elected and appointed state commissioners, secretaries and directors of the 50 states and four territories, passed a resolution supporting the legislation during the group’s annual midwinter meeting in Washington.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov.