NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — Farm shippers will soon get more rail-service visibility as the Surface Transportation Board adds two weekly reporting metrics for Class I railroads. STB says railroads must begin reporting original estimated time of arrival and industry spot-and-pull data on July 8.
The original estimated time of arrival will be used to measure whether manifest shipments arrive within 24 hours of the railroad’s original estimate. Industry spot and pull will track local railcar placements and pickups, giving shippers more insight into service reliability.
STB also launched a beta Open Data Portal with machine-readable data and visual tools for service measures such as train speeds and terminal dwell times. The agency says it plans to expand the portal over time.
The issue is practical for agriculture. An Oregon short line tied to Venell Farms filed a complaint after a Marys River bridge collapse cut off rail service, forcing grain, feed, grass seed, and fertilizer traffic onto trucks.
For farmers, better data may not solve every local rail problem, but it can make service failures easier to document.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Stronger rail reporting could help grain and input shippers track delays, missed placements, and local service breakdowns.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Dr. David Anderson with Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension discusses how geopolitical tensions and the Middle East, along with export disruptions in the Chinese market, will shape cattle markets in the months ahead.
March 12, 2026 12:54 PM
·
Refining shifts could influence fuel and input costs.
March 12, 2026 07:00 AM
·
Energy shifts influence diesel and fertilizer costs.
March 12, 2026 05:00 AM
·
Ben Kurtzman with American Farmland Trust discusses the growing pressure on farmland and ranchland and the steps being taken to help conserve farms and ranches across the country ,as unrest in the Middle East adds more obstacles for producers.
March 11, 2026 03:18 PM
·
NRECA CEO Jim Matheson warns that rising electricity demand from AI and data centers could strain the grid and affect rural electric cooperatives if U.S. power infrastructure cannot keep up.
March 11, 2026 11:59 AM
·
Weather remains the primary driver for wheat price outlook.
March 11, 2026 10:58 AM
·
