South Dakota Corn Grower leaders met with Senator John Thune in Sioux Falls this week to get updated on his rail reform legislation which has passed the Senate. Corn Grower’s President Keith Alverson says the bill is an important measure for agriculture and contains a provision that will allow the Surface Transportation Board to review rail rates.

Alverson says without that provision, the only way to deal with large rate increases was to bring a case to the STB, which was costly and time consuming.

Alverson says the rail reform legislation will also be helpful for South Dakota growers trying to take advantage of export markets especially to the West Coast and Pacific Rim markets.

Alverson is hoping the House will move quickly on Senator Thune’s legislation and approve it.