Railroad and Maritime Trade
Bioethanol continues to gain ground as the bridge fuel connecting agriculture, aviation, and maritime industries in the global shift toward lower-carbon energy.
Farmers face tighter barge capacity and higher freight costs during peak harvest.
Higher domestic rail tariffs and mixed capacity shifts will influence grain movement this harvest. Strong corn exports provide momentum, but logistics costs remain a critical factor.
Transportation challenges are mounting as droughts lower Mississippi River levels and push freight rates higher.
Farmers should watch for soybean export rebounds with harvest, while corn and wheat shipments remain strong and sorghum demand struggles.
Ethanol producers face a widening opportunity window as aviation and marine fuel markets expand, with the potential to add billions in demand if policy and certification align.
Cheaper freight is helping exports move, especially corn, but weaker soybean demand looms large.
Grain shippers face lower freight values thanks to weak soybean exports and strong rail service, but barge traffic and forward Gulf loadings suggest continued uncertainty as harvest ramps up.
Lewie Pugh, with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report with his insights on the incident and a deeper dive into the issues at hand.
Tom McComas became involved with toy trains by accident and with reluctance. Now, he hosts “I Love Toy Trains,” where he invites viewers to enter the delightful and charming world of toy trains.
The success of American agriculture relies upon a robust transportation system.
“They’ve agreed to certain things, but I’m not happy with it.”
“The Panama Canal is pretty, gosh darn important to American agriculture.”
