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                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

[C.H. Robinson Letterhead]
March 26, 1999



             OPERATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION PROGRAM (O.E.C.P.)

     The Compensation Committee is pleased to continue the O.E.C.P. compensation
program for certain selected operating personnel.  Some modifications to the
program have been made which the Compensation Committee believes will be
beneficial.  Only continued growth will cause this program to give you
increasing financial rewards.

     1.  The program will run for one calendar year, commencing in 1999. There
         is no commitment by the Committee or the Company that the program will
         continue beyond this year.

     2.  The units allocated to you below are for the year 1999. These units may
         be decreased or increased, or remain the same in any year at the
         discretion of the Committee.

     3.  The individual must be an employee on December 31 of the plan year in
         order to earn the award. In the event of a sale of substantially all of
         the assets of the Company or a change in ownership of 50 percent or
         more of the Company's outstanding stock, the individual need only work
         through the date of the asset sale or change in ownership to earn the
         award.

     4.  Payment of any awards earned hereunder will be paid in cash.

     5.  Profit Sharing will be paid only on those awards earned and paid, and
         in the year those awards are in fact paid.

     6.  This award shall be based on C. H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., (the
         Company's) adjusted gross net earnings from operations, (earnings prior
         to federal and state income taxes, profit sharing, extraordinary gains
         or losses from sale of all or part of various businesses, and this
         plan, O.E.C.P.), as determined by the Compensation Committee, which
         determination shall be final and binding on all parties; provided,
         however, that the foregoing computation of earnings shall eliminate,
         and shall not take into account, any deduction or amortization on
         account of any goodwill, going concern value, covenants not to compete
         or any other similar or related intangible. In addition, any tax exempt
         investment income will be grossed up to a taxable equivalent using the
         applicable federal corporate income tax rate. The contributions shall
         be determined by taking the number of units in each bracket and
         multiplying by the unit value shown. For example, if we were to achieve
         our 1999 Budget of $92,000,000 Gross Net each unit in the following
         brackets would have a value as follows:
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               A to D        $10,000,000 to   $30,000,000
               E to H        $30,000,000 to   $50,000,000
               I to L        $50,000,000 to   $70,000,000
               M             $70,000,000 to   $75,000,000
               N             $75,000,000 to   $80,000,000
               O             $80,000,000 to   $85,000,000
               P             $85,000,000 to   $90,000,000
               Q             $90,000,000 to   $95,000,000
               R             $95,000,000 to  $100,000,000
               S            $100,000,000 to  $105,000,000
               T            $105,000,000 to  $110,000,000

     You have been awarded the following units:

                                                               Number of Units
                                                               ---------------
               A to D     $10,000,000 to   $30,000,000
               E to H     $30,000,000 to   $50,000,000
               I to L     $50,000,000 to   $70,000,000
               M          $70,000,000 to   $75,000,000
               N          $75,000,000 to   $80,000,000
               O          $80,000,000 to   $85,000,000
               P          $85,000,000 to   $90,000,000
               Q          $90,000,000 to   $95,000,000
               R          $95,000,000 to  $100,000,000
               S         $100,000,000 to  $105,000,000
               T         $105,000,000 to  $110,000,000

7.  Any awards earned hereunder shall be paid in February following the end of
    the year to which the cash award relates.

8.  Any payment due hereunder will be forfeited if you leave the Company and are
    employed or perform a service that is determined to be in direct competition
    with C. H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. or its subsidiaries, or if you disclose
    any confidential information or trade secrets of C. H. Robinson Worldwide,
    Inc. or its subsidiaries. The Compensation Committee's determination of this
    is final. Your participation in the program shall not confer on you any
    right with respect to continuance of employment with the Company, nor will
    it interfere in any way with the right of the Company to terminate such
    employment at any time. Furthermore, the adoption of this program will not
    in any way interfere with the right of the Company to select among, adopt or
    change any business investment or compensation policies or plans at any time
    or from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion.

9.  Individuals may take advances against the awards.  The advance that may be
    taken is subject to the absolute discretion of the Compensation Committee.

10. The Company has the right and obligation to withhold the following from
    advances and final payouts: federal and state income tax withholding, FICA
    withholding, loan payments to the Company, and any other withholding
    required by law.
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     The Committee is enthusiastic about this program, as it feels that the more
incentives it can provide each person, the more vitally and personally
interested and involved this person will become in making C. H. Robinson
Worldwide, Inc. a bigger and better company.

Your very truly,



D. R. (Sid) Verdoorn

DRV/bjp
Enclosure