NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — New details on the proposed rail merger between Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific. The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has rejected the initial application, citing missing key information.
The STB says the decision does not mean the merger is impossible. Both companies now have the opportunity to revise and resubmit their application. The initial paperwork was more than 6500 pages long. The STB says details on market share were missing, along with other contractual information.
Groups like the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) have been watching the process since the merger was proposed. In a recent interview with RFD NEWS, STC Executive Director Mike Steenhoek says there are concerns across the ag spectrum about consolidation if that merger goes through.
“People point to the fact that this is not our first rodeo — we’ve had mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations within the rail industry for a number of decades,” Steenhoek explains. “What that does is it often results in higher rates, a decline in service, and, for agriculture and other industries, what you want is as many transportation providers competing for your business. That’s good for us, and when, all of a sudden, you start eliminating or reducing those transportation providers, you start changing that competitive balance away from the customer, agricultural shippers, in our case, or the railroad. So rightfully, there are a number of shippers who are very concerned about this.”
Leaders at Union Pacific say they have received more than 2,000 letters of support for the merger. STB says that while the application can be resubmitted, it will require another comprehensive review.
Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening joined us with the latest update on storm conditions and impacts across the state.
January 26, 2026 04:30 PM
·
Year-round E15 remains on the table, but procedural caution and competing regional interests pushed action into a slower, negotiated path.
January 26, 2026 01:33 PM
·
Rising import pressure and tougher export competition are likely to persist into 2026, supporting domestic supplies while capping export growth.
January 26, 2026 09:56 AM
·
Without additional support, many soybean operations will continue to face financial stress as they prepare for the 2026 crop.
January 26, 2026 09:41 AM
·
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Public Lands Council published a joint press release regarding the advancement of legislation to delist the Mexican Gray Wolf from the Endangered Species Act.
January 23, 2026 05:05 PM
Placements and marketings beat expectations, but declining on-feed totals and feeder constraints keep the supply story supportive for cattle prices into 2026. Dr. Derrell Peel, with Oklahoma State University, joined us to break down cattle-on-feed numbers and provide his broader market outlook.
January 23, 2026 04:40 PM
·
USDA Rural Development Director for Kentucky, Travis Burton, joined us to discuss the Princeton facility (formerly Porter Road Meats), now backed by the USDA, and its role in expanding domestic meat processing capacity.
January 23, 2026 03:39 PM
·
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer joined us to break down the recent Fifth Circuit Court decision overturning a prior Tax Court decision on self-employment tax for limited partners, the ruling’s impact on farmers, and potential next steps in Congress.
January 23, 2026 02:00 PM
·
Americans for Prosperity Arkansas Director Ryan Norris talks energy infrastructure, regulatory reform, and the role of critical minerals in supporting rural America.
January 23, 2026 01:54 PM
·
