# Navigating the Needs of the Nation’s Inland Waterways System

> Many of the Illinois River locks underwent major rehabilitation last year, a project costing roughly $200 million. About 69 US locks are more than 80 years old, and the Waterways Council says upgrades are needed to keep farmers competitive abroad. More than 60% of US corn is moved by barge.

- Date: 2021-02-09 · published 2021-02-09T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/48532-navigating-the-needs-of-the-nation-s-inland-waterways-system
- 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

Lock upgrades are needed to keep river export logistics competitive, which supports long-term corn basis and freight costs. The impact on near-term prices is limited.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2021-04-23 | [Focus On Flood Control, Navigation On Missouri River - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47775-focus-on-flood-control-navigation-on-missouri-river-the-waterways-journal.md) | +10.5% | +8.1% |
| CORN | 2017-06-09 | [Industry Seeks to Quash Trump Idea of Shifting Inland Waterways Funding to Tolls](https://feedsoft.ai/events/70680-industry-seeks-to-quash-trump-idea-of-shifting-inland-waterways-funding-to-tolls.md) | -1.0% | +0.3% |
| CORN | 2019-09-30 | [Lack of Funding for U.S. Internal Waterways System Threatens to Damage Agricultural Production and Shipping - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57252-lack-of-funding-for-u-s-internal-waterways-system-threatens-to-damage.md) | -0.9% | +1.1% |
| CORN | 2018-08-13 | [STC Offers Suggestions For Infrastructure Improvements - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/63449-stc-offers-suggestions-for-infrastructure-improvements-the-waterways-journal.md) | -5.9% | -7.2% |
| CORN | 2021-06-24 | [Safety Net Programs - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46567-safety-net-programs-ag-information-network-of-the-west.md) | +4.6% | -5.8% |
| SOY | 2021-04-23 | [Focus On Flood Control, Navigation On Missouri River - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47775-focus-on-flood-control-navigation-on-missouri-river-the-waterways-journal.md) | +0.6% | 0.0% |
| SOY | 2017-06-09 | [Industry Seeks to Quash Trump Idea of Shifting Inland Waterways Funding to Tolls](https://feedsoft.ai/events/70680-industry-seeks-to-quash-trump-idea-of-shifting-inland-waterways-funding-to-tolls.md) | -0.3% | +6.2% |
| SOY | 2019-09-30 | [Lack of Funding for U.S. Internal Waterways System Threatens to Damage Agricultural Production and Shipping - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57252-lack-of-funding-for-u-s-internal-waterways-system-threatens-to-damage.md) | +3.8% | +4.2% |

## Sources

- ncga.com: https://www.ncga.com/stay-informed/media/in-the-news/article/2021/02/navigating-the-needs-of-the-nations-inland-waterways-system

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