A
new USDA report shows investing in the Mississippi and Illinois River lock and
dam system can boost agricultural sales and improve prices for farmers.
Ag
Secretary Sonny Perdue says spending 6-point-3 billion over the next ten years
would boost ag sales as much as 142 billion dollars through 2045.
Joe Smentek with the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association tells Brownfield the waterway infrastructure has upkeep needs that haven’t been met. “We’re hoping to be able to use this report and a collective voice of the ag community and all of the communities that use that river transportation system to go to Congress to get appropriations to not only maintain the system but make improvements in the system.”
Mark Hoffman with the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association says the river also relieves stress on other transportation infrastructure.
