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Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway deal offers exporters options

The head of the U.S. Soybean Transportation Coalition says exporters can take advantage of an extended program on the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Mike Steenhoek tells Brownfield it might be more attractive for some to export agricultural goods through the Great Lakes. “We entered into discussions with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation to develop an agreement, a promotional agreement that aspires to stimulate some additional exports via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway system.”

Steenhoek says the Gateway Incentive Program includes a 50% reduction on shipping tolls for new agricultural shipments, cutting costs, and perhaps opening doors in other markets. “Some of these soybean producing states like Ohio and Wisconsin and Michigan and Indiana and Minnesota that have access to the Great Lakes system, exporters in those areas will find this of interest because they provide a maritime option to access some of these customers, particularly in Europe, and to some extent, Africa.”

Steenhoek tells Brownfield the extension runs through this year.

The Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway extends 2,340 miles from Duluth to the Atlantic Ocean.  Steenhoek says less than 2% of U.S. soybeans currently use the system, but the opportunity to increase supply chain diversity and resiliency is good for farmers.