# Restrictions, Freight Costs Pressure Grain Movement on the Mississippi River - RFD

> Persistent drought has lowered Mississippi River levels for a fourth straight year, and the Coast Guard tightened draft and tow limits near Memphis. Barge grain movements for the week ending September 13 fell 30% week over week to 252,000 tons. Gulf-to-Japan ocean freight rose to $57.25 per metric ton, up 25% since January.

- Date: 2025-09-25 · published 2025-09-25T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16424-restrictions-freight-costs-pressure-grain-movement-on-the-mississippi-river-rfd
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Higher barge and ocean freight costs reduce the net price farmers receive and make U.S. export grain less competitive. Delayed shipments during harvest add pressure on cash prices.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bearish ▼
- CORN: bearish ▼
- BARGE: bullish ▲
- OCEANFRT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2020-11-30 | [Barge Restrictions Mean Shipping Complications on Mississippi River \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/49545-barge-restrictions-mean-shipping-complications-on-mississippi-river-feed-and.md) | -1.5% | -1.0% |
| CORN | 2017-10-04 | [River Freight Cost Pressuring Grain Prices \| 680 KFEQ](https://feedsoft.ai/events/68667-river-freight-cost-pressuring-grain-prices-680-kfeq.md) | -0.4% | -1.6% |
| CORN | 2023-10-08 | [USDA Explores Third-Quarter Barged Grain Movements on the Mississippi River - Farm Policy News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16595-usda-explores-third-quarter-barged-grain-movements-on-the-mississippi-river.md) | -0.2% | -3.4% |
| CORN | 2019-07-01 | [Barge movement resumes on Mississippi, but remains sluggish - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57966-barge-movement-resumes-on-mississippi-but-remains-sluggish-freightwaves.md) | +1.3% | +0.2% |
| CORN | 2023-08-30 | [Low Mississippi River level will challenge grain movement again this harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12853-low-mississippi-river-level-will-challenge-grain-movement-again-this-harvest.md) | -0.0% | -8.2% |
| SOY | 2025-10-01 | [Low Mississippi River Levels Pressure Grain Barge Movement - RFD-TV](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16421-low-mississippi-river-levels-pressure-grain-barge-movement-rfd-tv.md) | +2.0% | +7.6% |
| SOY | 2020-11-30 | [Barge Restrictions Mean Shipping Complications on Mississippi River \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/49545-barge-restrictions-mean-shipping-complications-on-mississippi-river-feed-and.md) | -2.4% | +5.3% |
| SOY | 2017-10-04 | [River Freight Cost Pressuring Grain Prices \| 680 KFEQ](https://feedsoft.ai/events/68667-river-freight-cost-pressuring-grain-prices-680-kfeq.md) | +1.1% | +1.9% |

## Sources

- rfdtv.com: https://www.rfdtv.com/restrictions-freight-costs-pressure-grain-movement-on-the-mississippi-river

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