# Poor timing of low Mississippi River levels - Brownfield Ag News

> Soy Transportation Coalition executive director Mike Steenhoek says low Mississippi River levels are arriving at the worst time of year, during peak harvest shipping. He says the river has been drastically low for the third straight year. Reduced barge efficiency is pushing barge freight rates higher.

- Date: 2024-10-16 · published 2024-10-16T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/28040-poor-timing-of-low-mississippi-river-levels-brownfield-ag-news
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Limited barge capacity during harvest raises freight costs that flow back to farm-gate prices for grain and soybeans. Higher transport costs also widen the gap between interior and Gulf export prices.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bearish ▼
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | 2022-10-25 | [Mississippi River grain elevator manager summarizes effects of low water levels - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16677-mississippi-river-grain-elevator-manager-summarizes-effects-of-low-water-levels.md) | +2.6% | +4.7% |
| SOY | 2023-12-13 | [Ag transportation expert: unclear how low Mississippi River is affecting ag exports - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16583-ag-transportation-expert-unclear-how-low-mississippi-river-is-affecting-ag.md) | -0.8% | -7.0% |
| 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://www.brownfieldagnews.com/news/poor-timing-of-low-mississippi-river-levels/

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