International soybean customers prefer the reliability and predictability of U.S. shipments compared to those from Argentina and Brazil. That’s according to a soy check off funded study done by the Soy Transportation Coalition. Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek says they tracked movement of soybeans from Davenport, Iowa on barges to the Mississippi delta and the other from Mitchell, South Dakota by rail to Pacific Northwest terminals.
Steenhoek says what’s really important is that infrastructure is upgraded so U.S. shippers can maintain that competitive advantage this study brought out.
He says their study also shows that rail shipments need to be improved.
Steenhoek says their study gathered input from buyers in China, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam to get firsthand reports on timeliness of shipments and repercussions late shipments have on their businesses.