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No trains for grains on the Plains

bluefish.org

On the high plains, there aren’t any commercially navigable rivers, and the U.S. rail system has been the main way for farmers to move grain to ports to sell around the world said a recent article in Reuters.

Farmers in the northern section of the plains are currently storing the largest amounts of grain in years because of crippling railroad delays.  Rail operators blame the coldest winter in decades and changing freight flows from the increasing demands of oil companies.

With the winter wheat harvest looming on the horizon, some growers are changing spring crops to avoid high-yield corn due to the fact it takes up more storage room.  Others are absorbing the added costs to trucking to deliver their grain to market.

The bottle neck has also disrupted mills, leaving cereal and food companies short of supplies.