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.
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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.”
For the second year in a row, transportation along the Mississippi River was impacted by drought. Export delays along with increased prices are impacting the competitiveness of U.S. corn in the world market, with buyers moving toward Brazilian crops.
Recent rainfall may bring good news for farmers trying to ship crops along the Mississippi River this harvest season. However, conditions are not looking quite as mighty for barges trying to make it through the Panama Canal.
