Video: The Story of the Reliable System that Transports Wheat from the U.S. Plains to Customers Around the World
Kent Lorens and Derek Sawyer each consider themselves to be “mere links in the reliable wheat supply chain.” But without farmers like them, there is no chain. Thus, the two play major roles in a new U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) video project that tells the story of how a reliable system of trucks, trains and […]
Producing the Story of the Reliable System that Transports Wheat from the U.S. Plains to Customers Around the World
Farmers at Heart of the Story The wheat was still green and had only recently headed when a film crew showed up on Derek Sawyer’s Kansas farm this spring. Weeks later, in summer, the same crew set cameras up on the edge of a golden Nebraska wheat field to capture harvest by Kent Lorens. Though […]
Washington Grain Commission CEO Testifies on Behalf of Columbia Snake River System
On Jan. 30, 2024, Casey Chumrau, CEO of the Washington Grain Commission, offered compelling testimony supporting the crucial infrastructure of dams and locks on the Columbia Snake River System (CSRS) at a U.S. House Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee hearing. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) sent separate […]
U.S. Wheat Export Basis Levels Support On-Going Competitiveness
During the summer of 2023, U.S. wheat export basis levels hovered near record lows as slow demand met seasonal weakness. Across almost all the U.S. wheat classes and export points, export basis levels hovered below average, signaling a unique pricing opportunity for U.S. wheat. Historical trends indicate that basis levels generally hit their lowest point […]
Investments in U.S. Supply Chain Infrastructure Benefit Wheat Importers
Over the last few weeks, we have explored all the major modes of the U.S. supply chain, evaluated recent trends, and highlighted how each type of transportation plays an integral role in the U.S. supply chain. Barging, rail, and oceangoing vessels work together to create the dependable supply chain importers of U.S. wheat expect. In […]
Most Exportable Supplies Moved by Rail with Significant Effect on Basis
As we continue a series of articles on U.S. supply chain logistics, rail is arguably the most important mode of transporting wheat for export. According to a recent USDA Modal Share Analysis Study, rail accounted for an average of 59% of inland transportation for wheat exports between 2016 and 2020, or an average annual total […]
CPKS Railroad Merger and U.S. Wheat Exports
On April 18, 2023, Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS) and Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP) officially merged to create a new Class 1 railroad CPKS, the first single-line service across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico (map above from Trains.com). Rail logistics comprise a sizeable portion of U.S. wheat export basis, encompassing the costs of […]
Wheat Industry Helps Build Awareness of Rail Shipping Challenges
In recent months, U.S. grain rail shipping has faced a host of service-related challenges ranging from delayed cars to metered traffic and dramatic spot freight market increases. Those service problems reached such elevated levels that the U.S. rail regulatory body, the Surface Transportation Board (STB), stepped in. The STB will now require the four largest […]
Reciprocal Switching Policy Would Benefit U.S. Wheat Importers
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) joined other major shipping groups this week in calling on the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) to adopt policies that have the potential to lower costs and improve service for wheat rail shippers and their customers. The policy proposal, commonly referred to as “reciprocal switching,” has been under the STB’s consideration […]
USW to Surface Transportation Board: “Uphold the Values of Competition.”
In 2021, the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CP) announced plans to purchase the Kansas City Southern Railroad (KCS). After a few sidetracks, the proposed transaction is now under final review by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) to determine whether the two Class I railroads can merge. If successful, the new system will become the first […]