By Daniel Munch
American Farm Bureau Federation
Close to half of all U.S. corn, soybeans and wheat exports move through the Mississippi River system, making it one of the most important export corridors in the world. Over the past five years, an average of 65 million metric tons of bulk agricultural product traveled by barge to terminals near New Orleans, where shipments were loaded onto ocean vessels bound for global customers. This inland waterway remains the most cost-effective way to connect Midwestern farms to foreign markets, ensuring U.S. agriculture can compete on price and reliability.