transportation

From RFD-TV Water levels along the Mississippi River have fallen to historic lows again this fall — throttling barge traffic and raising freight costs just as the Midwest harvest reaches full stride. Gauges at St. Louis and Memphis are near record lows, forcing towboats to run lighter and with fewer…

The Washington State Department of Ecology has created a new Agricultural Exempt Fuel Retail Sellers Directory, which can be found at Fuel Exemptions – Washington State Department of Ecology. On this webpage, you will also find guidance on: Which fuels are exempt, and How to register for the directory if you…

From Farm Policy News “If approved, the deal would be the largest ever buyout in the sector and combine Union Pacific’s stronghold in the western two-thirds of the United States with Norfolk’s 19,500-mile network that primarily spans 22 eastern states. The two railroads are expected to have a combined enterprise…

From the Capital Press Members of the Upper Mississippi River Waterway Association will tour the Columbia-Snake River system the week of June 23. The tour is the latest in an ongoing partnership with Pacific Northwest stakeholders, who toured the Mississippi River in June 2024. Read the rest of the article…

From ABC News The water level of the Mississippi River is unusually low for the third straight year, forcing barge companies to put limits on how much cargo they can carry and cutting into farm profits. Read the rest of the article here.

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) joined with Pacific Northwest Waterways Association and the Washington Public Ports Association in a letter to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) regarding the transportation study on how to replace barging capabilities on the lower Snake River. The group contends the study…

Reforms supported by the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) were part of the final rules issued by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that strengthen its power to act during rail service emergencies. Proposed by the STB in 2022, the regulations for “expedited relief in service emergencies” address deficiencies in…

From the Capital Press The Washington Farm Bureau estimates farmers have paid at least $153 million and likely far more this year in cap-and-trade fees, even though lawmakers intended to exempt agriculture from the tax on fossil fuels. Read the rest of the article here.

Last month, Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, was invited to attend the Council of State Governments West (CSG West) Legislative Council on River Governance in Whitefish, Mont., where she heard an update on the Columbia River Treaty from U.S. negotiator Jill Smail and Stephen…

From the Capital Press Work on the Winona train trestle destroyed by wildfire in August is nearly complete, and freight service will resume later in October, according to the Washington Department of Transportation. The trestle, 31 miles east of Colfax, between LaCrosse and Endicott, handles 2,600 rail cars loaded with…