# Grain Transport Demand Strong Despite Fuel Price Swings | Feed & Grain

> Grain Transportation Report data show rail volumes 26% above average in Q2 and corn export commitments at a record 87.0 million metric tons as of July 23. Diesel averaged $5.35 per gallon in Q2, and barge shipments are running 13% behind 2025.

- Date: 2026-07-31 · published 2026-07-31T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16352-grain-transport-demand-strong-despite-fuel-price-swings-feed-and-grain
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [ULSD / Diesel](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DIESEL.md), [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md)

## Why it matters

Record corn export commitments support US corn prices, while higher diesel and ocean freight costs and weaker barge volumes narrow farm-level returns.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- BARGE: bullish ▲
- DIESEL: bullish ▲
- OCEANFRT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2025-01-28 | [US grain transportation demand remains strong in Q4 \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16483-us-grain-transportation-demand-remains-strong-in-q4-feed-and-grain.md) | +0.7% | -0.3% |
| CORN | 2018-05-02 | [Growing pork demand, efficiency gains fuel pig production \| Feed Strategy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64998-growing-pork-demand-efficiency-gains-fuel-pig-production-feed-strategy.md) | +1.4% | +1.9% |
| CORN | 2025-06-27 | [Demand, prices support Mexico’s corn, sorghum, rice \| World Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24283-demand-prices-support-mexico-s-corn-sorghum-rice-world-grain.md) | +5.1% | -1.7% |
| CORN | 2025-07-26 | [Export demand remains strong - Dairy Star](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23791-export-demand-remains-strong-dairy-star.md) | +0.5% | +0.7% |
| CORN | 2022-07-11 | [FAS report shares growing demand for feed in China \| MEAT+POULTRY](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40470-fas-report-shares-growing-demand-for-feed-in-china-meat-poultry.md) | -14.4% | -15.9% |
| DIESEL | 2017-05-30 | [U.S. Energy Information Administration Projects Diesel Fuel Consumption Increase on Growing Freight Transport Demand \| Supply & Demand Chain Executive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/71186-u-s-energy-information-administration-projects-diesel-fuel-consumption-increase.md) | -7.1% | -11.9% |
| DIESEL | 2023-02-02 | [Grain Transportation Report, February 2, 2023](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16648-grain-transportation-report-february-2-2023.md) | -2.7% | -3.7% |
| DIESEL | 2021-09-01 | [Grain Transportation Report, September 23, 2021](https://feedsoft.ai/events/44999-grain-transportation-report-september-23-2021.md) | -0.0% | +8.2% |

## Sources

- feedandgrain.com: https://www.feedandgrain.com/grain-supply-chain/transportation/news/15831402/grain-transport-demand-strong-despite-fuel-price-swings

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.