News

Steenhoek asks if U.S. willing to invest like China in transport

The head of the U.S. Soy Transportation Coalition says reports of China investing in Argentina to move more soybeans to China begs this question, “If the Chinese government is willing to explore investing in channel deepening in Argentina, is the U.S. government willing to invest in channel deepening in the United States?”

Mike Steenhoek tells Brownfield it’s a missed opportunity if the U.S. government does not invest in deepening the lower Mississippi River (between Baton Rouge and the Gulf of Mexico), allowing it to carry heavier loads and attract larger vessels, “This is during a time where we should be exploring every opportunity to remove cents per bushel on the delivered price on what soybean farmers produce.”

Steenhoek says the United Soybean Board is ready to invest $2-Million dollars and the state of Louisiana will put up more than $7-Million, leaving $21-Million for the federal government.

He says that would be a critical investment because the lower Mississippi has access to Asian, European, African and even South American markets.