Severe Winter Storm Threatens to Disrupt U.S. Supply Chain

Mike Steenhoek with the Soy Transportation Coalition discusses supply chain challenges facing agriculture as snow, sleet and ice threaten most of the Eastern U.S.

ANKENY, IOWA (RFD NEWS) — A powerful winter storm moving across farm country is raising concerns about potential impacts to farm operations, rural communities, and the agricultural supply chain.

Mike Steenhoek, with the Soy Transportation Coalition, joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss what the organization is watching as the storm progresses, particularly in transportation and supply chain disruptions.

The conversation also turned to rail transportation issues, including the proposed merger between Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific. Steenhoek addressed the Surface Transportation Board’s decision to reject the merger application due to insufficient information and outlined the issues identified in the paperwork. He also touched on the industry’s mixed reactions to the proposed merger, which were part of the discussion as well, including concerns about pricing and consolidation, and how those factors could impact agriculture as a whole.

Finally, Steenhoek discussed how the process could move forward as the companies work to revise and resubmit their application.

Related Stories
The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers shares an update on commodity prices and farmland trends in Nebraska and South Dakota.
Dr. Phillip Kaufman discussed sterile fly releases, release zone adjustments and steps producers can take to protect livestock.
Five State Star honorees discussed the projects and experiences that earned them statewide recognition.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

As I try to catch up on my writing after being on the road for a lengthy time, I have several recurring themes in my legal work. Another potpourri of random ag law and tax issues — that is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV Agrilegal Expert Roger McEowen.
Splenda’s new stevia farm in Florida is the first of its kind in the United States. Thousands of plants produce millions of leaves that are then turned into plant-based stevia sweetener products. But how do they get the sweet stuff out?
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders spoke with RFD-TV’s own Susan Alexander this Monday morning on the Market Day Report to explain Arkansas’s recently passed giving lawmakers greater authority to sanction foreign ag-land ownership within the state.
What does Splenda have to do with farming? Sweeteners like monk fruit and stevia are plant-based — so they are just not sugar, but are comprised of those other plants also grown on farms.
Where the Food Comes From producer Donna Sanders takes us along on a behind-the-scenes look at filming the show’s newest episode, “Clemson Blue,” where university cheesemakers reveal how they put the “blue” in their award-winning blue cheese.