# America's Barometer | Feed & Grain

> A Feed & Grain commentary says recent Mississippi River trends point to future trouble, citing a historical flood and drought record. It notes the river at St. Louis can swing from flood flows to very low dry-season flows. The piece links the river's condition to broader drought risk on the Great Plains.

- Date: 2020-10-01 · published 2020-10-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/50541-america-s-barometer-feed-and-grain
- 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

Swings between flood and low water disrupt barge movements that move much of the US corn and soybean export volume. Persistent low-water risk can widen Gulf basis and support freight costs.

## Read by commodity

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

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2021-02-25 | [Grain Barges Resume Operations After Severe Winter Weather \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48527-grain-barges-resume-operations-after-severe-winter-weather-feed-and-grain.md) | -1.1% | +5.0% |
| CORN | 2020-12-01 | [Dry Barge Fleet Consolidation \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/49543-dry-barge-fleet-consolidation-feed-and-grain.md) | -0.4% | +1.4% |
| CORN | 2021-02-18 | [Snow & Ice Storms Interrupt Grain Barge Movements \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48528-snow-and-ice-storms-interrupt-grain-barge-movements-feed-and-grain.md) | +0.8% | -4.4% |
| CORN | 2021-05-14 | [Barge Backup Continues on Mississippi \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47301-barge-backup-continues-on-mississippi-feed-and-grain.md) | -3.9% | +1.6% |
| CORN | 2026-10-26 | [Low Mississippi River puts Southern grain basis at risk \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16328-low-mississippi-river-puts-southern-grain-basis-at-risk-feed-and-grain.md) | -1.0% | — |
| SOY | 2020-10-02 | [River Woes Push Basis Lower \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50835-river-woes-push-basis-lower-feed-and-grain.md) | +2.6% | +2.8% |
| SOY | 2019-09-09 | [When it rains, it pours for America’s barge industry](https://feedsoft.ai/events/56944-when-it-rains-it-pours-for-america-s-barge-industry.md) | +4.7% | +8.4% |
| SOY | 2021-05-14 | [Barge Backup Continues on Mississippi \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47301-barge-backup-continues-on-mississippi-feed-and-grain.md) | -4.9% | -6.4% |

## Sources

- feedandgrain.com: https://www.feedandgrain.com/grain-handling-processing/grain-facility-management/article/15401578/americas-barometer

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