# Looking Beyond the Benefit-to-Cost Ratio: Why America’s Inland Waterways Deserve a Broader Measure of Value

> A Waterways Council representative argues that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ benefit-to-cost framework for inland navigation projects counts shipper cost savings but misses wider economic, national-security, and energy-supply benefits. The article says this approach can make some lock and dam modernization projects appear less valuable in federal budget decisions than they are.

- Date: 2026-11-09 · published 2026-11-09T21:13:34.306Z
- Category: policy · region United States · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/90201-looking-beyond-the-benefit-to-cost-ratio-why-america-s-inland-waterways-deserve
- 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

A broader assessment could strengthen the case for federal investment in locks and dams, supporting the long-term reliability of inland freight routes. The article describes advocacy for a different evaluation approach, not an enacted policy or an immediate price change.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2021-02-09 | [Navigating the Needs of the Nation’s Inland Waterways System](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48532-navigating-the-needs-of-the-nation-s-inland-waterways-system.md) | -5.2% | +1.6% |
| CORN | 2018-07-24 | [Want to understand the border crisis? Look to American corn policy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64009-want-to-understand-the-border-crisis-look-to-american-corn-policy.md) | +1.7% | +1.4% |
| CORN | 2021-07-13 | [Here's Why Parched Portions of the Corn Belt Matter in the Acreage Debate - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45920-here-s-why-parched-portions-of-the-corn-belt-matter-in-the-acreage-debate-agweb.md) | -10.7% | -12.3% |
| CORN | 2019-11-12 | [Second Round of Trade Assistance Coming Soon \| Farm Bureau Intel Markets \| American Farm Bureau Federation](https://feedsoft.ai/events/56049-second-round-of-trade-assistance-coming-soon-farm-bureau-intel-markets-american.md) | -0.5% | -2.9% |
| CORN | 2021-02-13 | [DECREE IS PUBLISHED ORDERING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SEVERAL MEASURES TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF GLYPHOSATE AND GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN IN THE COUNTRY. - BASHAM](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48622-decree-is-published-ordering-the-implementation-of-several-measures-to.md) | -2.1% | +2.7% |
| SOY | 2021-02-09 | [Navigating the Needs of the Nation’s Inland Waterways System](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48532-navigating-the-needs-of-the-nation-s-inland-waterways-system.md) | -0.2% | +3.9% |
| SOY | 2021-07-13 | [Here's Why Parched Portions of the Corn Belt Matter in the Acreage Debate - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45920-here-s-why-parched-portions-of-the-corn-belt-matter-in-the-acreage-debate-agweb.md) | -0.3% | +0.1% |
| SOY | 2022-01-21 | [Comparing Recent Deforestation Measures  of the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom \| Steptoe](https://feedsoft.ai/events/43167-comparing-recent-deforestation-measures-of-the-united-states-european-union-and.md) | +1.6% | +11.7% |

## Sources

- marinelink.com: https://www.marinelink.com/news/looking-beyond-benefittocost-ratio-why-544235

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