There are finally some improvements along the Mississippi River.
Week-over-week, 35 percent more barges were unloaded in New Orleans, meaning more goods are making their way down to ports. But, barges are carrying 30 percent less, which is impacting producer profits as shipping costs are still elevated compared to normal.
USDA says farmers are making about $2 less per bushel of both corn and soybeans. The Army Corps of Engineers is continuing its dredging operations in St. Louis.
Water levels in Canada’s St. Lawrence River are starting to go down, too. It is causing concern as many U.S. farmers are using the seaway to ship their products because of the troubles on the Mississippi. A Canadian grain farmer shares what he is experiencing.
“If you had corn or beans to move right now in the Hamilton area, with 3 major exporters, Parish and Heimbecker, G-3, and Richardson’s all with no bid for corn, and local elevators that rely on taking their grain into the port to get exported, they’re backed up. I’m worried, I kind of rely on ports. We’re in Ontario, right? We produce more grain than we can use here. Especially corn, we export it. I think this stuff’s going to have to wait until spring,” said Jeff Barlow.
U.S. and Canadian officials are considering boosting water flow on the eastern end of Lake Ontario to improve conditions for commercial ship traffic on the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ag products from Great Lakes ports account for about 40 percent of the trade along this river.
Bioethanol continues to gain ground as the bridge fuel connecting agriculture, aviation, and maritime industries in the global shift toward lower-carbon energy.
October 23, 2025 10:14 AM
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Expanding bioethanol use strengthens rural economies, supports farm markets, and positions U.S. agriculture at the center of global low-carbon trade.
October 23, 2025 10:10 AM
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Lyndsey Smith with RealAg Radio discusses how global trade dynamics could shape the future of Canada’s pulse exports.
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“Farmers for Free Trade” warns that disaster is brewing as President Trump’s trade policy is causing farm input costs to rise even more.
October 22, 2025 12:07 PM
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Corn and wheat inspections outpaced last year, but soybean movement remains seasonally active yet behind, keeping basis and freight dynamics in focus by corridor.
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Bubba and Amy Miller run Miller Cattle Company in Eros, Louisiana. After visiting other homesteading fairs, they decided to put on their own.
October 21, 2025 02:28 PM
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University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) representative Dr. Dirac Twidwell joins us with the latest on woody encroachment conservation efforts in the Great Plains.
October 21, 2025 01:42 PM
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Lawmakers are pressing for answers on how Washington’s “managed trade” approach — keeping leverage through long-term tariffs — will affect farmers, global markets, and future export opportunities.
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In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader John Thune is asking that farmers be allowed to use marketing assistance loans to help stay afloat.
October 21, 2025 11:57 AM
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