NGFA hits the radio airwaves

In a recent Agri-Pulse “Open-Mic” interview, NGFA President & CEO Mike Seyfert highlighted key issues affecting U.S. agriculture as harvest season rolls along. Seyfert expressed relief that East Coast and Gulf ports have reopened after the recent labor strike.

“We’ve got the ports back up and running at a really critical time for U.S. agriculture,” Seyfert noted, emphasizing that about 40 percent of containerized agricultural shipments pass through these ports. He acknowledged the temporary nature of the agreement, which ensures operations until Jan. 15, but hopes for a lasting resolution before the deadline.

Seyfert also addressed the challenges with rail transportation to Mexico, describing ongoing issues with Ferromex’s delays in handling U.S. agricultural products. In addition to trains carrying U.S. agricultural products being slowed at the border, “we’ve seen delays in turn times on getting empties back from Mexico, sometimes stretching from 15 days to as much as 45 days,” Seyfert said. He stressed the need for a smoother process, possibly involving U.S. government intervention to ensure Mexico adheres to USMCA regulations.

Of note: Ferromex has been invited to speak at the Country Elevator Conference & Trade Show, scheduled to take place Dec. 10-12 in Kansas City, Mo.

Additionally, Seyfert underscored the importance of maintaining reliable waterway infrastructure for agriculture, calling it a “key cog” in the nation’s transportation system. He pointed out that modernizing dams and improving river levels is crucial for the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture, and he called on Congress to pass a conference agreement on the Water Resources Development Act when Congress returns for a lame-duck session.

Seyfert’s interview can be heard in its entirety here. 

Seyfert also recorded an interview with the National Association of Farm Broadcasting about the recent transportation challenges confronting agriculture. That interview was made available to farm broadcasters across the country and was used by rural radio stations in Ark., Calif., Colo., Kan., Ill., Iowa, La., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Neb., N.C., N.D., Okla., S.C., S.D., Tex., Va., and Wyo.