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Aug 06, 2015
The American Soybean Association (ASA) and the soybean industry played an active and prominent role in the Ag Transportation Summit held Aug. 4-5 in Rosemont, Ill. The purpose of the summit is to unite leaders from agricultural producer organizations, agribusinesses and government to focus on the importance of rail, truck and waterways transportation to the competitiveness and profitability of U.S. agriculture. The focus was on the challenges of transportation capacity and the event featured panels and speakers from all the modes, including major rail companies, shippers, ports, truckers, government agencies and international organizations.
ASA Director Lance Peterson (MN) and Tom Hance from the Washington staff represented ASA during the summit. Numerous soybean farmers, state association staff and stakeholders also attended.
Hance moderated a panel on port infrastructure and the impact of the labor dispute and work slowdown experienced this past winter at the West Coast ports. Other panels focused on the state of the U.S. rail service network, trucking, impacts of the Panama Canal expansion and inland waterways infrastructure.
The summit was jointly hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Grain & Feed Association (NGFA) and the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC).
