Shipments at two major West Coast ports have reportedly resumed. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach halted operations late last week when long-running contract negotiations for union workers broke down. It is not clear if the temporary halt was the result of a strike or worker shortage.
Mike Steenhoek with the Soy Transportation Coalition told one media outlet that products shipped in bulk were not impacted, but agriculture commodities shipped by container were caught in limbo, including soybeans, chilled meat, and fresh produce.
The two ports are essentially the largest gateway for maritime trade in the U.S., accounting for 40 percent of goods arriving in the country. As uncertainty surrounding union workers and their contracts grows, international shippers have avoided the ports in favor of east coast ports.
Steenhoek says that creates more uncertainty for the U.S. food supply chain, and it will only get worse if ports can’t provide reliability.
Rail continues to carry a larger share of the grain load, increasing sensitivity to rail capacity, labor, and pricing conditions.
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From tariff talks in Europe to SCOTUS uncertainty and rising farm losses, analysts say policy and global supply will shape grain markets in the year ahead.
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Analysts say a Supreme Court decision on tariffs could reshape protein markets, strain U.S.-China trade, and force farmers to rethink global demand strategies.
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President Donald Trump speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, addressing SNAP spending, tariff threats against Europe, market reactions, and the upcoming USMCA review.
January 21, 2026 11:50 AM
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Corn and wheat exports remain a demand bright spot, while soybeans are transitioning into a more typical late-winter shipping slowdown.
January 21, 2026 10:36 AM
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