The Year of Transportation Struggles: How the impact could linger into 2023 for farmers

2022 has been the year of transportation struggles for agriculture and one economist fears it could impact profitability in the coming year.

Danny Munch with the American Farm Bureau says it is not just one mode of transportation weighing on producers. Even though the rail strike has been averted, he says the railway labor force is struggling to reach levels prior to the pandemic. The limited barge loads due to low levels on the Mississippi River are also increasing costs for farmers.

He says if the issues continue, farmers will face tighter input supplies and higher marketing costs in 2023.

Related Stories
The drought along the Mississippi River is over, for now, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.
An independent grocery store is making a big difference in the community of Marks, Mississippi, a small town in the Mississippi Delta region that was long considered a “food desert.”

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Ongoing dryness is taking its toll on corn crop production in Mexico and South Africa, two other top global corn producers, as U.S. corn producers see some relief.
The inflation rate seems to be dropping faster here in the United States than in Canada, but according to the chief economist with one of Canada’s largest banks, looks can be deceiving.
High input costs are standing in the way of farmers intending to shift to more sustainable practices, according to research by McKinsey and Company.
Wildfires have broken out in Kansas, consuming thousands of acres north of Manhattan.
A recent Cannonball Jellyfish bloom off the coast of Venezuela is a major concern for the seafood industry that fish those waters.