# CoBank Economist: Aging U.S. Barge Fleet Could Raise Shipping Costs for Farmers

> CoBank economist Tanner Ehmke said in an RFD-TV interview that the U.S. barge fleet has shrunk nearly 8% over the past decade and that more barges are being retired than replaced. He said more than half of U.S. corn and soybean exports and about a third of wheat exports move by barge on the Mississippi River.

- Date: 2026-11-13 · published 2026-11-13T21:10:37.736Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/98466-cobank-economist-aging-u-s-barge-fleet-could-raise-shipping-costs-for-farmers
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Fewer available barges could raise freight costs and lower the prices farmers receive for grain, especially for exports moving down the Mississippi.

## Read by commodity

- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Sources

- rfdtv.com: https://www.rfdtv.com/cobank-economist-aging-u-s-barge-fleet-could-raise-shipping-costs-for-farmers

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