NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Water levels along the Mississippi River have fallen to historic lows again this fall — throttling barge traffic and raising freight costs just as the Midwest harvest reaches full stride.
Gauges at St. Louis and Memphis are near record lows, forcing towboats to run lighter and with fewer barges per tow. For farmers moving corn and soybeans to export channels, that means slower flows, higher freight, and weaker local cash bids.
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) reports that the river depth at St. Louis recently dropped by more than 22 feet since midsummer, and levels near Memphis approached -5.5 feet, with forecasts of further decline. Southbound grain shipments have plunged roughly 79 percent since early harvest, and soybean movement fell nearly 90 percent as drafts were reduced. Barge costs have surged, erasing much of the price advantage Midwest farmers usually enjoy versus rail or Gulf competitors.
With the Mississippi handling nearly half of all U.S. corn, soybean, and wheat exports, exporters warn that the squeeze could open the door for Brazil and Argentina as the U.S. struggles to maintain its pace. Until rains return, producers face wider basis discounts, longer delivery windows, and mounting storage pressure heading into winter.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Persistently low Mississippi River levels are turning logistics challenges into pricing risks — tightening margins for grain producers and exporters across the heartland.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Expert
September 14, 2023 12:52 PM
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