Soy Transportation Coalition officials are ramping up efforts to get dredging done on the lower Mississippi River. Executive Director Mike Steenhoek says that is important for U.S. farmers because 60 percent of soybean exports and 59 percent of corn exports originate from that point destined for foreign markets.

He says the urgency to dredge the lower Mississippi River is heightened because China is looking at dredging on the Parana River in Argentina to make it easier to source South American soybeans.

Steenhoek says it’s more critical than ever for the U.S. government to invest in agricultural infrastructure.

Steenhoek says by deepening the lower Mississippi River, it allows for larger ships to be loaded with more revenue producing freight.