NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — Last week, shareholders of both Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern approved their merger. When the ink is dry, it will create the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.
Mike Steenhook with the Soy Transportation Coalition tells us there could be some concern around consolidation. He says the pressure is now on other rail lines to follow suit, and warns that some customers are worried they will lose significant negotiating power.
Lawmakers are also worried about future rail choices. That is why Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., filed the Reliable Rail Service Act earlier this year.
“They preference their biggest customers, and they don’t recognize that they have a common carrier duty to all shippers,” Sen. Baldwin explained. “And so, my Reliable Rail Service Act helps us build a strong economy and lower costs for consumers and shippers by requiring the freight rail services to be reliable and to understand what their common carrier obligation means.”
Baldwin said her bill would put a definition to that term. Once that is accomplished, she says it will help the enforcement agencies hold rail shippers accountable.
For the broader agricultural industry, a railroad antitrust case in Kansas could lead to the dismantling of legacy regulatory shields, creating a more fluid, market-driven transportation grid that prioritizes moving crops efficiently over protecting historic rail monopolies.
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Agriculture avoided major disruptions, but trade uncertainty remains elevated.
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The debate now matters as much as the policy — market rules and regulatory clarity depend on whether Congress can finish the bill this year.
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The long-term viability of a ranching operation often hinges on how effectively its owners navigate the overlapping layers of IRS regulations, state tax incentives, and USDA disaster programs.
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Congresswoman Celeste Maloy of Utah joins Champions of Rural America to discuss her new leadership role in the Western Caucus and her perspective on the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Trump’s tariff policy.
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Tommy Roach with Nachurs Alpine Solutions discuss fertilizer decision-making, plant fertility strategies, and what farmers can learn at Commodity Classic.
February 20, 2026 12:05 PM
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