NASHVILLE, TN (RFD NEWS) — Grain shippers using the Arkansas River will need to plan around partial lock closures this summer.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says six locks on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System will be affected from June 15 through September 30.
The locks, spanning from Fort Smith to Little Rock, will close daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and reopen overnight, with a 70-foot width restriction for barge tows.
The timing matters for the movement of wheat, soybeans, and corn. In 2025, 1.4 million tons of grain moved through Norell Lock and Dam 1 at the mouth of the Arkansas River, led by wheat and soybeans.
Through the first 19 weeks of 2026, grain movement through that lock reached 583,000 tons, the strongest pace for that period since 2022.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s expanded ag export facility adds more capacity for DDGS, soybeans, and soybean meal through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system.
Farm-Level Takeaway: River construction could slow some grain logistics, while new export capacity adds another outlet for Upper Midwest products.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
U.S. agricultural exports to China have fallen sharply as producers wait for tariff relief.
October 06, 2026 08:00 AM
·
President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order to lower diesel costs, including expanding access to tax-exempt dyed diesel as farmers face high harvest fuel prices.
October 05, 2026 03:17 PM
·
Improved water levels are allowing more vessels and deeper loads through the Panama Canal.
October 05, 2026 03:02 PM
·
Producers are weighing long-term expansion as the U.S. cattle herd remains at historic lows.
October 05, 2026 02:01 PM
·
States are easing red diesel penalties while ethanol production and stocks move lower.
October 05, 2026 12:36 PM
·
Foreign subsidies, tariffs, and market controls continue to shape global sugar competition facing U.S. growers.
October 05, 2026 12:00 PM
·
