Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, made this statement regarding the tentative agreement reached today between United Grain Corporation in Vancouver and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

“The end of these protracted negotiations is good news for working families across Washington. I’m glad that cooler heads prevailed and these two parties were able to reach a compromise. Grain growers in my legislative district, across central and eastern Washington and even those outside our state can continue to bolster our state’s economy without concern that our export partners will find a more dependable source for the products they need.

“I am hearing that grain inspections will resume at noon today and the backlog of ships waiting to berth will be expedited. It will take two weeks to ratify the agreement, but I’m pleased both parties are eager to get Washington’s economy back on track.”