News

Low river levels on Mississippi causing problems for CHS

Low levels on the Mississippi River are causing problems for the nation’s largest ag cooperative.

CHS CEO Jay Debertin tells Brownfield every shipper is lightening loads and progress is being slowed.

“Because tugs and barges get hung up and it just takes a lot of time to make the same progress that under good water conditions you can do easily.”

And he says the window for moving goods up and down the river is closing.

“Now we’re into November and at some point those of us in the northern part of the river, the business just closes down. They don’t ship barges up here and don’t want them to get stuck up here, so at some point the business just shuts down.”

Debertin says he’s also concerned about the possibility of a railroad strike as CHS looks to move grain and ag inputs throughout the winter.