Expansions to the U.S. Inland Waterway system will continue to provide a competitive advantage for American farmers on the global market.                  

Lock and Dam 25 on the Mississippi River, just north of St. Louis, is one of seven U.S. locks slated to expand in the coming years.  Stan Born, Illinois farmer and board member with the US Soybean Export Council, says it’s needed because the competition is catching up.

“Historically, we’ve had a competitive advantage because of the reliability and the timeliness of our waterways.”  He says, “I recently came back from a trip to Brazil and I saw firsthand the investments that are being made to close this gap.” 

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says competition from Brazil has had an impact on the US farm economy.

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