Earlier this year, rail service was backed up for weeks in the Dakotas and Minnesota. North Dakota Wheat Commission Policy and Marketing Director Jim Peterson says the railroads still aren’t close to where they need to be when it comes to service or reliability. “If we would see a strike, this would further disrupt our poor service and delivery by the railroads, affecting our ability to compete in September, October and November and that’s our prime competitive period.” This concern goes beyond wheat. “Farmers will be starting soybean harvest in October. There’s a big book on export sales for corn and soybeans at the Pacific Northwest ports. Product needs to move.”
