On Jan. 29, the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC)—which comprises 13 State soybean boards, the American Soybean Association, and the United Soybean Board—published its “Top 10” infrastructure priorities.
Among those listed are maintenance and rehabilitation of locks and dams, particularly for Locks and Dams 20 through 25; dredging the lower Mississippi River to 50 feet between Baton Rouge, LA, and the Gulf; ensuring the Columbia River shipping channel from Portland, OR, to the Pacific Ocean is maintained at no less than 43 feet; and permitting six-axle, 91,000-pound semis to operate on the interstate highway system.
Soybeans are a growing source of the overall demand for grain transportation in the U.S., with a record 4.39 billion bushels produced in 2017, 8% higher than the prior 3-year average.
