Market Matters Blog

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) in a press release on April 30 said it has joined with 38 other leading agricultural organizations in a unified call to Congress to prioritize the reauthorization of the nation's surface transportation programs.

In a letter sent April 30, the groups emphasized the critical role that a modern, efficien, and well-funded transportation system plays in supporting U.S. agriculture and rural economies.

"A strong transportation network is essential to the success of American agriculture," said NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert. "From farm inputs to grain exports, every link in the supply chain depends on reliable roads, bridges, and trucking policies that reflect today's realities. We're urging Congress to act decisively to keep rural America moving forward."

Some of the key priorities listed in the letter are:

-- On-time reauthorization: Congress must reauthorize surface transportation programs before the current law expires in September 2026 to avoid funding disruptions and project delays.

-- Sustainable funding: The coalition supports equitable, long-term funding solutions for the Highway Trust Fund that include all vehicle types -- gasoline, diesel, electric and alternative fuels.

-- First- and last-mile connectivity: Increased investment is needed in local roads and bridges that connect farms and agribusinesses to major highways, rail lines and waterways.

-- Truck weight modernization: The group urges Congress to authorize a pilot program allowing six-axle trucks up to 91,000 lbs. on interstate highways and to establish a 10% axle weight variance for dry bulk haulers.

-- Trucking flexibility: Proposed reforms include streamlining Commercial Driver's License (CDL) requirements and expanding hours-of-service exemptions for agricultural haulers.

-- Protecting access to vehicles: The coalition opposes efforts to eliminate internal combustion engine vehicle sales and supports maintaining current motor carrier insurance requirements to prevent unnecessarily high insurance premiums, freight rates, and holding motor carriers and freight buyers harmless from excessive litigation costs.

-- Streamlined project delivery: The letter advocates for simplifying environmental review processes and expanding rural access to federal infrastructure funds without undue regulatory burdens.

"These commonsense reforms will enhance transportation efficiency, reduce costs, and improve safety across the agricultural supply chain," Seyfert added. "Congress has an opportunity to deliver a bipartisan win for farmers, agribusinesses, and consumers alike." Link to the letter that NGFA and 38 other Ag groups sent to Congress: https://www.ngfa.org/….

On April 2, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), delivered the following opening statement at a hearing titled "Constructing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill: United States Secretary of Transportation's Perspective," at which U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy appeared before the Committee. Here is a link to the press release from the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works website: https://www.epw.senate.gov/….

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

The Surface Transportation Reauthorization should not be confused with the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the federal agency that is charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation, primarily freight rail.

The STB is the federal agency that is charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation, primarily freight rail. The STB exercises its statutory authority and resolves disputes in support of an efficient, competitive and economically viable surface transportation network that meets the needs of its users. For more about the Board, here is a link to their website: https://www.stb.gov/….

Created on Jan. 1, 1996, by the ICC Termination Act of 1995, the STB is the successor to the former Interstate Commerce Commission (1887-1995) and was administratively aligned with the U.S. Department of Transportation from 1996 to mid-December 2015. The STB Reauthorization Act of 2015 established the STB as a wholly independent federal agency on Dec. 18, 2015 (https://www.congress.gov/…).

"While I understand and appreciate the enthusiasm surrounding efforts to advance a Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill through Congress, it is my hope that similar enthusiasm emerges for a Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Bill," Robert Primus, STB board member, told DTN.

"It has been a decade since the board's last reauthorization and considering the critical importance our national freight rail network is to the economic viability of the country, coupled with the Trump administration's push for greater domestic manufacturing, I believe the Board's reauthorization is imperative as we seek to bolster the nation's future economic success."

Mary Kennedy can be reached at mary.kennedy@dtn.com

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