# Ag transportation expert: unclear how low Mississippi River is affecting ag exports - Brownfield Ag News

> Soy Transportation Coalition expert Mike Steenhoek says barge capacity has fallen 25% and fewer barges are moving on the Mississippi, though exports have been slow enough to offset the impact. He cites ample world soybean supply, a stronger US dollar and high interest rates as bigger export headwinds. Exporters are shifting some grain to rail toward Pacific Northwest and East Coast ports.

- Date: 2023-12-13 · published 2023-12-13T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16583-ag-transportation-expert-unclear-how-low-mississippi-river-is-affecting-ag
- Commodities: [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Ample global soybean supply and a stronger dollar weigh on US export competitiveness and soybean prices, while reduced barge capacity raises freight costs for upriver shipments.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bearish ▼
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SOY | 2024-10-16 | [Poor timing of low Mississippi River levels - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28040-poor-timing-of-low-mississippi-river-levels-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +0.1% | +1.3% |
| SOY | 2026-01-27 | [Low water levels slowing grain flow down Mississippi River - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16391-low-water-levels-slowing-grain-flow-down-mississippi-river-brownfield-ag-news.md) | -0.1% | +7.3% |
| SOY | 2025-10-15 | [Low Mississippi River levels threaten fall grain movement - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16417-low-mississippi-river-levels-threaten-fall-grain-movement-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +2.4% | +10.6% |
| SOY | 2018-01-22 | [Ice impeding inland waterway transportation, hurting cash basis - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66910-ice-impeding-inland-waterway-transportation-hurting-cash-basis-brownfield-ag.md) | +0.8% | +4.5% |
| SOY | 2017-10-03 | [River issues slow barge traffic - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/68665-river-issues-slow-barge-traffic-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +1.0% | +1.6% |

## Sources

- brownfieldagnews.com: https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/ag-transportation-expert-unclear-how-low-mississippi-river-is-affecting-ag-exports/

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