Farmers and grain elevator operators are worried about millions of bushels of corn and soybeans from 2013 that still haven’t shipped, even as this year’s crop is in the ground.
An overburdened rail system has backlogged grain car orders and delayed grain shipments for months. Some of the worst problems are in Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Rail companies promised to do better when the issue surfaced in April, but state and federal officials want stronger assurances that railroads will catch up and that grain shipments will be more timely.
The federal Surface Transportation Board has ordered Canadian Pacific Railway and BNSF Railway Co. to provide specific details and target dates to ensure shipment of last year’s crops before this fall’s harvest.