President Abraham Lincoln called it the ?Father of Waterways.? The Mississippi River is the major inland shipping channel in the United States. It bisects the country from North to South. When you factor in the connecting Missouri and Ohio River systems, the river barge highway connects almost every state in the Cornbelt and more.
Now it is getting a makeover to help more goods move more efficiently.
A dredging project has begun on the lower Mississippi River from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico. The United Soybean Board (USB) has been part of a coalition from the soybean industry that advocated for the merits of this project. Megan Kaiser is a member of the United Soybean Board and a Missouri soybean producer. She talks about the project.
The river dredging will deepen the river section from 45 to 50 feet. While five feet does not sound like much, the USB says it will be a significant boost to the soybean industry. It could cut shipping costs by thirteen cents a bushel. The Federal government announced that it would be investing in the project as well, along with the state of Louisiana.
Kaiser goes on to explain how dredging just five feet in depth on the river can increase the size of loads heading down to the Gulf.
Kaiser says when you multiply that thirteen cents per bushel by the number of bushels produced, it will be a great benefit to soybean producers across the country.
For more on the work of the United Soybean Board, visit their website.
