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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Monday, December 02, 2024
Farm groups and ag lawmakers are growing increasingly frustrated by the closure of two rail crossings at the U.S-Mexico border and say they haven't received any word of when the situation will be resolved.
Rail companies struggling to provide adequate service could be required to allow competitors on their tracks under a proposed Surface Transportation Board rule aimed at curbing delays and increasing competition in rail networks.
The shipping delays that plagued railroad networks last year have improved amid increases in staffing, though Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is calling for more action from the Surface Transportation Board to address what he calls “inadequate” and “unreliable” service from railroad companies.
A nationwide trucking shortage that began well before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has worsened and is not anticipated to improve anytime soon. According to the American Trucking Associations, the United States currently needs an additional 80,000 truckers to meet the demands of shippers.
Signup trends for the general enrollment in USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program over the last few years are showing higher acceptance rates, but some fear that’s due to the department lowering the environmental benefits index score, which determines eligibility requirements for the program.
President Joe Biden is pushing new rail regulations that lower rates for ag shippers, but the railroads say the rules designed to spur competition among major railroads would increase their costs and ultimately backfire on customers.
Grains and other agricultural commodity shippers could benefit from a Canadian rail line’s acquisition of Kansas City Southern because of faster shipping routes, but some experts also are concerned the deal could lead to further mergers that ultimately reduce competition and increase rail rates.
