The White House is discussing contingency plans as threats of a possible railroad shutdown continue.The federal government is trying to see how it could use its authority to keep critical supply chains open.In Orrick, Missouri, farmers say even a short strike would be a disaster for their business, and customers would pay the price.Union negotiators are working on salary increases and back pay for hours worked since 2020. The strike deadline is Friday.Farmer Tom Waters says his 3,500 acres of soybean crops look good, but getting the product anywhere is becoming a concern. “We got a big crop sitting out here. Bigger than normal. More reason to be worried about this Transportation,” Waters said. Waters and farmers all over the country have plenty of reason to be worried. A railroad strike is looming, and harvest is right around the corner. “Transportation is a huge part of the cost of the consumer,” Waters said. How long will it take before consumers feel the effects of a train strike? Not long.Wheat has already been harvested and is in the grain elevators. They need that grain to be moved to make room for fields full of soybean and corn. “There’s a lot of bad things can happen, so there’s a lot of fear,” Waters said. There is fear of no room for storage, crops sitting and dying in the field, and food costs skyrocketing. But there is hope. “We need the government to step in and do something about this. The impact is going to be unbelievable nationwide, and I don’t believe there’s one person in the country it won’t affect,” Waters said. As a result of the possible strike, farmers say grain shipments could stop as early as Wednesday to avoid having them stuck on the tracks.
The White House is discussing contingency plans as threats of a possible railroad shutdown continue.
The federal government is trying to see how it could use its authority to keep critical supply chains open.
In Orrick, Missouri, farmers say even a short strike would be a disaster for their business, and customers would pay the price.
Union negotiators are working on salary increases and back pay for hours worked since 2020. The strike deadline is Friday.
Farmer Tom Waters says his 3,500 acres of soybean crops look good, but getting the product anywhere is becoming a concern.
“We got a big crop sitting out here. Bigger than normal. More reason to be worried about this Transportation,” Waters said.
Waters and farmers all over the country have plenty of reason to be worried. A railroad strike is looming, and harvest is right around the corner.
“Transportation is a huge part of the cost of the consumer,” Waters said.
How long will it take before consumers feel the effects of a train strike? Not long.
Wheat has already been harvested and is in the grain elevators. They need that grain to be moved to make room for fields full of soybean and corn.
“There’s a lot of bad things can happen, so there’s a lot of fear,” Waters said.
There is fear of no room for storage, crops sitting and dying in the field, and food costs skyrocketing. But there is hope.
“We need the government to step in and do something about this. The impact is going to be unbelievable nationwide, and I don’t believe there’s one person in the country it won’t affect,” Waters said.
As a result of the possible strike, farmers say grain shipments could stop as early as Wednesday to avoid having them stuck on the tracks.
