The head of the Soy Transportation Coalition says the infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. House addresses some of the challenges facing the ag supply chain.
Mike Steenhoek tells Brownfield he’s optimistic. “There will be rural bridges that will be replaced because of this piece of legislation,” he says. “There will be improvements to our inland waterways systems. It’s always a good day to invest in our multi-modal transportation system. It’s a particularly good day when we’re seeing all these challenges confronted in our global supply chain.”
Steenhoek says repairing rural roads and bridges must be a priority. “That’s the link that’s most relatable to farmers and that’s the area of the country where the problem for bridges is most severe, yet resources are the most limited,” he says. “Any kind of investment in our rural roads and bridges is something we’re really going to be pushing for.”
He says implementation is the next step, but much of that will depend on how quickly the agencies can approve projects and funding.
