The US Army Corps of Engineers plans to deepen the Mississippi River by 45 to 50 feet, a 256-mile stretch between Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Gulf of Mexico, the Corps announced July 31. The project will go under contract later this year and is expected to be completed in 2024.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will also provide funding for the project, which will allow shipping companies to transport more products – including agricultural products – more cost-effectively, to global ports.

The project has been a priority for U.S. soybean farmers, says Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition.

“If I had to pick one infrastructure improvement that would benefit the most American soybeans the most, deepening the lower Mississippi would be my pick,” he says.

The project is being made possible in part by a $2 million investment by U.S. soybean growers, through the soybean levy, for research, planning, analysis and design for the project, Meagan said. Kaiser, USB treasurer and soybean farmer from Bowling Vert, Missouri.

“This $2 million investment opened the door to a $245 million investment from the federal government and the state of Louisiana,” says Kaiser, who cites USB research that shows dredging the river could save 13¢ per bushel of freight, while increasing the load by up to 500,000 bushels per ocean vessel, improving efficiency.

“By dredging the lower Mississippi, we can load heavier ocean containers, adding more bushels per load. It’s good for the farmer, it’s good for the environment and improves reliability for overseas consumers,” adds Kaiser.

When complete, the new depth will unlock long-term benefits for soybeans and other U.S. agricultural exports. For the agricultural industry, the Mississippi River is one of the most important waterways in the country. A Louisiana State University Ag Center report says nearly 40 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports pass through the lower Mississippi River, which connects growing regions in the Midwest and North to the world market. The recent expansion of the Panama Canal to accommodate larger vessels further necessitates the improvement of the Mississippi waterways.

Research by the Soybean Transportation Coalition (STC) indicates that the final 256-mile stretch of the Mississippi River to the Port of New Orleans accounts for 60% of U.S. soybean exports, and 59% of corn exports from this region arrive via the inland waterway. systems. Work under this project specifically supported environmental assessments (research) and education on improving infrastructure, located near the Port of New Orleans, for the benefit of US farmers.

“The soybean industry has been a great case study and a reason to deepen the Mississippi River,” Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said. “Once this project is complete, the deepening of the Mississippi River will improve global imports and exports of goods and, in turn, improve jobs, business and quality of life for thousands of Louisianans and others who depend on the Mississippi River. I am grateful for our partnership and the commitment of time and money from the agricultural leaders of the United Soybean Board, the Soy Transportation Coalition and countless others who made this project possible.