When it comes to ag exports, there are two sides to the equation: trade and infrastructure.
House Ag Committee Chair, GT Thompson, shares what could be on the radar for Congress this session.
“It won’t be infrastructure in terms of canals, ports which needs to be addressed. We need to modernize in a serious way. I mean we have ports of entry and ports of export. They cannot accommodate these larger shipping vessels that we now have. So, for whatever reason the United States has not kept up with those investments and we need to do that. We need to be able to move our agricultural commodities efficiently.
“We need to make this a place where these companies that operate these vessels want to come to, right? Also, we need to look at some policies, like there’s an awful lot of shipping containers that are going back empty, specifically to China and that’s wrong. We’re buying products and they need to be fulfilling their trade promises and buying our commodities.”
Congressman Thompson says trade was a hot topic at the listening session with farmers this week at the World Ag Expo.
The Surface Transportation Board rejects the proposed Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific merger, prompting concerns from agricultural shippers about rail consolidation, service reliability, and higher transportation costs.
January 20, 2026 12:25 PM
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Freight volatility and route selection remain critical to soybean export margins and competitiveness.
January 19, 2026 04:00 PM
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While short-term volatility remains a risk, softer ocean freight rates in 2026 could improve export margins.
January 18, 2026 12:00 PM
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Trade volatility and shifting export destinations increase marketing risk for producers heading into 2026.
January 18, 2026 07:00 AM
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
January 17, 2026 05:00 PM
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Shaun Haney joined us to discuss Canada’s new trade agreement with China, the potential impact on farmers and exporters, and what it could mean for U.S.–Canada trade relations going forward.
January 16, 2026 01:16 PM
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National Corn Growers Association Chief Economist Krista Swanson discusses corn supply pressures, market fundamentals, policy considerations, and producer outlook for the year ahead.
January 16, 2026 01:13 PM
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Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota joined us to discuss key ag policy developments and his outlook for agriculture in 2026.
January 15, 2026 12:51 PM
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RFD News correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports from Texas on the ongoing water dispute and its implications for U.S. farmers.
January 14, 2026 12:17 PM
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