Up to 89 percent of U.S. soybeans exported through the lower Mississippi ports, such as the port of New Orleans, arrive there via the locks along the Mississippi River and other U.S. inland waterways. With numbers like this, it's apparent that these waterways and the locks moving barges through them remain vital to move U.S. soybeans and soy products. More than half of the structures that are part of the U.S. inland waterway system for river barge shipping exceed their 50-year usable lifespan, according to a soy checkoff-funded report.
Locked, Dammed & Threatened: Where Is U.S. Soy’s Competitive Edge Going?
As farmers watched their fields dry up last summer, some may not have realized that another critical resource was also in peril – the Mississippi River. It wasn’t until after harvest, when the United States exports the most soybeans, that the agriculture industry took notice that its battle with drought wasn’t over.
Lower river levels increased the cost of moving goods, as barges had to lighten their loads to pass through shallower water.
“The drought really highlighted some concerns that are common ...
Myanmar Revolution Spurs U.S. Soy Demand
For the first time ever, the United States is negotiating a sale that would send U.S. soy to Myanmar (formerly Burma). And early signs indicate increased demand for U.S. soy could be coming from the country’s aquaculture sector. With more ...
Read MoreLock and Dam Failures Could Put Farmers Up the Creek
Properly maintained U.S. inland waterways provide farmers with the most economical route to transport U.S. soy domestically and on to global markets. But what happens when that infrastructure fails? Lock and dam breakdowns pose a major threat to U.S. soybean farmers’ ...
Read MoreMississippi River Closures Reduce U.S. Soybean Farmers’ Profitability
A tanker barge that recently struck a bridge and leaked thousands of gallons of oil near Vicksburg, Miss., cost shippers nearly $15 million in three days, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official. The spill delayed more than ...
Read MoreConstructing Bigger Opportunities for U.S. Soy in the Middle East
With a new U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) office opening in Dubai, United Soybean Board (USB) Director Bob Metz traveled to the Middle East to meet with potential buyers of U.S. soy. In this conversation with Beyond the Bean Online, ...
Read MoreFirst Sustainable Supply Forum Aims to Boost Latin American Demand
Tom Rotello, a soybean farmer from Navasota, Texas, sold his first bottle of soy oil in Mexico when he was 15. Since then, Rotello, who also serves as a United Soybean Board (USB) director, has made numerous trips south of the ...
Read MoreIndia’s Evolving Food Market Could Boost Demand for U.S. Soy
U.S. soybean farmers may hear a lot about soy dahls in the future. With India’s population expected to approach 1.4 billion by 2025 — displacing China as the world’s most populated nation —the soy checkoff aims to increase India’s demand for ...
Read MoreOhio Farmer to Lead Soy Transportation Coalition in 2013
As the low levels of the Mississippi River continue to impact barge shipments, the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) held its annual meeting to discuss this and other transportation issues the organization hopes to impact. The STC discussed several current studies ...
Read MoreCheckoff Study Examines Options for Maintaining U.S. Locks and Dams
The U.S. inland waterways serve as important and economical routes to transport U.S. soy to global markets. Fifty-nine percent of total 2011 soybean exports passed through Mississippi River ports in southern Louisiana. Of those soybeans, 89 percent arrives at those ...
Read MoreEvolving Demand in India Could Boost Demand for U.S. Soy
A lot is changing in India and it’s good news for U.S. soybean farmers. Since 1990, soy oil consumption in India has grown 590 percent and soy meal consumption has risen 709 percent. This dramatic increase resulted from India’s changing demographics. The ...
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To discover and communicate global opportunities for U.S. soy by analyzing current and potential events.
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