Report on Ag Transportation Released
More than 31% of transportation recorded was for agriculture goods.
Compiled by staff
Published: May 12, 2010
USDA has released to Congress a comprehensive report on agricultural transportation in the United States. The report, Study of Rural Transportation Issues, was mandated by the 2008 Farm Bill and covers the four major modes of transportation commonly used by agriculture in the United States-truck, rail, barge, and ocean vessel. In releasing the report, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack noted that 31% of all ton-miles recorded in 2007 were used in the movement of agricultural products.
The report examines some of the major issues facing agricultural transportation, including: the effect of deregulation on the rail industry, a growing gap for funding the inland waterways and highway systems, availability of containers and ocean vessel capacity, and the infrastructure that may be needed to support a projected increase in biofuel transportation.
The report also discusses the current approach to transportation policy in the United States, in which each mode of transportation is often considered separately without an overarching view of the flow of freight through all the modes. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says this report shows the need a strong transportation infrastructure. He says that is why more than half of the total funding of the TIGER program was devoted to improvements that benefit freight transportation, ports and rural communities.
Check out the entire report HERE.
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Tagged: usda, farm, farm bill
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