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.
Dr. Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska, joined us to break down what telehealth entails and which conditions can be managed through remote appointments.
December 03, 2025 02:17 PM
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Improved export prospects and higher crop prices strengthened future expectations despite continued caution about spending.
December 03, 2025 01:52 PM
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While the agriculture industry hoped details on proposed “bridge” payments for farmers would be released this week, Ag Secretary Brook Rollins said the USDA is still working with the White House on the finer points.
December 03, 2025 01:36 PM
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Federal lawyers submitted a brief this week backing Bayer’s argument that federal laws governing herbicides like Roundup should prevent lawsuits over the popular chemical.
December 03, 2025 12:08 PM
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China’s renewed purchases signal improving sorghum demand at a time when export markets are otherwise uneven. Meanwhile, agriculture groups across the U.S, Canada, and Mexico want to protect close trade relations.
December 03, 2025 11:51 AM
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The Environmental Protection Agency confirms that new single-fluorinated pesticides are not PFAS and remain fully compliant with current safety standards.
December 03, 2025 11:00 AM
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Strong demand supports sweet potatoes, but grading challenges and rising costs weigh on returns for Southeastern growers.
December 02, 2025 06:17 AM
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Pressure on grain storage capacity and stronger export positioning are pushing more grain onto railroads, highways, and river systems as logistics become a key bottleneck this fall.
December 01, 2025 05:09 PM
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Despite the need for swift action, many ag lawmakers and industry groups argue that farm aid alone will likely not be sufficient to help farmers without improved trade relations with China.
December 01, 2025 12:21 PM
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