ASA CEO Steve Censky and other waterways industry stakeholders participated in a meeting with Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) in St. Louis on Jan. 11 to discuss low water levels on the Mississippi River, a vital part of the inland waterways system transporting U.S. soybeans to international customers. Also in attendance were the Army Corps of Engineers, Coast Guard the National Weather Service, Waterways Council, National Corn Growers Association, Carpenters Union, and American Waterways Operators.

"We were there to stress the importance of maintaining river navigation to agriculture and our industries," said Censky.

More than 60 percent of U.S. soybean exports, or 830 million bushels, will be exported via Southern Louisiana terminals during the current 2012/2013 marketing year. Almost all of that arrives via barge.

The Corps announced on Jan. 13 that the first phase of the most critical rock removal work on the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill., has been completed ahead of schedule." The Corps indicated last week that the Mississippi River will be able to sustain navigation through the end of January for towboats and barges at a 9-foot draft.

"ASA has been and continues to be very active in working with our policy makers and the Corps of Engineers to express the economic importance to U.S. soybean farmers of maintaining shipping on the Mississippi River," said Censky. "And by doing that, we did see the removal of these rock pinnacles much sooner than would have happened normally."