# High Barge Freight, Low River Levels Detrimental to Farmers at Harvest

> Low water on the Lower Mississippi and its tributaries is again hurting harvest logistics, with the Memphis forecast possibly approaching or surpassing last year's record low of -10.81 feet. Shippers report reduced barge capacity from St. Louis to the Gulf, and barge freight costs are rising.

- Date: 2023-09-18 · published 2023-09-18T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/34292-high-barge-freight-low-river-levels-detrimental-to-farmers-at-harvest
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Higher barge freight is passed back to farmers through wider basis, cutting the price received for grain and making river-delivered feed ingredients more expensive. Persistent low water would keep upward pressure on freight and delivered feed costs.

## Read by commodity

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

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2024-10-24 | [Low Mississippi River levels during harvest cut profits for farmers, freighters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28043-low-mississippi-river-levels-during-harvest-cut-profits-for-farmers-freighters.md) | -1.3% | +1.0% |
| CORN | 2023-10-06 | [Low river levels, barge freight, and widening basis](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16596-low-river-levels-barge-freight-and-widening-basis.md) | -0.5% | -4.9% |
| CORN | 2024-02-01 | [Low River Levels are Creating Higher Costs for Farmers](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16570-low-river-levels-are-creating-higher-costs-for-farmers.md) | -4.7% | -6.6% |
| CORN | 2024-08-20 | [Low Mississippi River levels expected  to amplify weaker basis at harvest time](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16518-low-mississippi-river-levels-expected-to-amplify-weaker-basis-at-harvest-time.md) | -3.5% | +5.3% |
| CORN | 2022-09-30 | [Low River Levels, Soaring Barge Freight Curb U.S. Grain Exports](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16682-low-river-levels-soaring-barge-freight-curb-u-s-grain-exports.md) | +1.0% | +3.8% |
| SOY | 2024-10-24 | [Low Mississippi River levels during harvest cut profits for farmers, freighters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28043-low-mississippi-river-levels-during-harvest-cut-profits-for-farmers-freighters.md) | -2.1% | -0.7% |
| SOY | 2017-10-02 | [Bad Timing: River Levels Falling, Barges Stall Ahead of Harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/68349-bad-timing-river-levels-falling-barges-stall-ahead-of-harvest.md) | +0.4% | +0.7% |
| SOY | 2024-02-01 | [Low River Levels are Creating Higher Costs for Farmers](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16570-low-river-levels-are-creating-higher-costs-for-farmers.md) | -2.7% | -7.7% |

## Sources

- dtnpf.com: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/columns/cash-market-moves/article/2023/09/18/high-barge-freight-low-river-levels

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