Talked to a friend in Colfax today, says that pea and lentil production in Eastern Washington and North Idaho is being reduced and replaced to some extent with Garbonzo Beans. He says that farmers in E. Washington and N. Idaho are having difficulty competing with North Dakota and Canadian producers for Peas and Lentils. He also noted that the fresh Pea processing plant in Lewiston closed as the dryland fresh pea business is just to risky without irrigation (sudden hot spell can cause peas to mature too quickly and irrigation can prevent that by cooling the crop.) Fresh pea production has moved to irrigated areas in Central Washington. Pea and Lentil processing plants in Belmont and two in Moscow have been closed. Only one processing plant remains in Moscow and can't ship by rail due to Watco's closing of the Moscow rail line. Pea plants in Colfax and Palouse have greatly reduced the crop acres they have contracted for this year. My friend says his farm buddies expect more processing plants to close next year. He also says that interest in bio-fuels is lacking as fuel producers want farmers to invest in the plants and area farmers are not interested in spending their own money on such plants, if someone else risks their money, o.k., risk their own---no way!!