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.
Formally dubbed “Farm Bill 2.0” by committee leadership, the draft surfaces after a high-stakes legislative dance that saw much of the traditional farm bill’s funding, specifically for crop insurance and safety net programs, carved out and passed in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
February 16, 2026 10:51 AM
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Alliant Chairman of Agriculture and former U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns explains the R&D Tax Credit, the recent Tax Court ruling, and ways livestock producers and agribusinesses can qualify.
February 13, 2026 01:51 PM
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Ag Committee Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson has referred to the proposal as “Farm Bill 2.0.”
February 13, 2026 10:25 AM
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Nitrogen and phosphate markets are tightening ahead of spring, keeping fertilizer costs elevated while crop prices lag.
February 13, 2026 08:00 AM
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RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney talks about the U.S. House’s latest vote to roll back tariffs on Canada and the ongoing discussions surrounding North American trade.
February 12, 2026 05:02 PM
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Alaska Congressman discusses his new role as Executive Vice Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus and his priorities for the West in the 119th Congress.
February 12, 2026 04:45 PM
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