Supply Chain and Logistics
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney discusses how AI integration in grocery retail could impact farmers and the broader food supply chain.
Rebuilding domestic textiles depends on automation and vertical integration, not tariffs or legacy manufacturing models.
Stronger U.S.-Guatemala trade rules favor dependable, regionally integrated supply chains — rewarding execution and commitment over cost-only sourcing.
Winter Weather And Markets Reshape Agriculture Nationwide This Week
Strong rail demand and higher fuel costs raise transportation risk even as barge and export flows stabilize.
Often overlooked, cotton wholesalers act as stabilizers during market stress, translating fragmented retail demand into workable production programs for mills and manufacturers.
Reliable waterways lower costs, protect export demand, and support long-term farm profitability.
Mike Steenhoek of the Soy Transportation Coalition shares how extreme winter weather is affecting the ag transportation network and what producers should keep in mind as conditions slowly improve.
Rail continues to carry a larger share of the grain load, increasing sensitivity to rail capacity, labor, and pricing conditions.
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.
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.
The Surface Transportation Board rejects the proposed Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific merger, prompting concerns from agricultural shippers about rail consolidation, service reliability, and higher transportation costs.
While short-term volatility remains a risk, softer ocean freight rates in 2026 could improve export margins.
Freight volatility increasingly determines export margins, making logistics costs as important as price in marketing decisions.
Structural efficiency supports cattle prices and resilience — breaking it risks higher costs and greater volatility.
Reduced winter placements indicate tighter fed cattle supplies and greater leverage during peak-demand months.
Rail strength is helping stabilize grain movement, but river and export slowdowns continue to limit overall logistics momentum.
Seasonal boxed beef softness does not change the tight-supply outlook — leverage remains closer to the farm gate heading into 2026.
Sen. Deb Fischer reintroduces the HAULS Act to update hours-of-service exemptions and definitions affecting livestock and agricultural haulers. She joins us on Market Day Report to share more about her proposed legislation.
Strong crush demand and rising ethanol production are pressuring feedstocks, as traders monitor storage risks and supply chain uncertainty and await the upcoming January WASDE report.
Preserving equity through active risk management remains critical in a volatile, supply-driven market.
Producers across the country balanced winter weather disruptions, shifting export demand, and tightening margins as year-end decisions come into focus.