It’s back to business at usual at West Coast ports

imports business trade shipping containers port_adobe stock.png

Photo by Fotolia via Adobe Stock

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.

Related Stories
While the U.S.-China framework for soybean trade is in place, Ohio farmer Chris Gibbs tells us he will believe it when he sees it.
The Court may limit emergency tariff powers, complicating a key bargaining tool; ag could see shifts in input costs and export dynamics as China, Brazil, and India talks evolve.
U.S. sugar producers and processors should brace for price pressure and challenging export logistics with global sugar supply ramping up — driven by Brazil, India, and Thailand — especially at the raw processing level.
Host of RealAg Radio Shaun Haney discusses how the proposed reductions to agriculture programs in Canada’s new budget could affect research and support programs that farmers need.
The Farm Bureau urges trade enforcement, biofuel growth, fair input pricing, and pro-farmer policy reforms to restore long-term certainty.
A SCOTUS ruling on Trump’s tariffs could have long-term implications on the authority of future administrations to control U.S. trade policy, according to RFD-TV legal expert Roger McEowen.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Renowned farm broadcaster and friend of RFD-TV, Orion Samuelson, will undoubtedly be remembered for many things, but most of all, his work as a champion of America’s farmers and ranchers will define his legacy.
Corn demand is rising thanks to ethanol expansion, yet year-round E15 remains missing from the Farm Bill—leaving farmers questioning the policy gap.
RanchHer celebrated the invaluable contributions women leading the beef industry at their panel, “Your Path to Becoming a RanchHer,” Friday at NCBA CattleCon.