Bulk Freight News & Industry Updates - Stay Ahead in Trucking

The worldwide trade in perishable cargo continues to grow but it is not all plain sailing, Dynamar explained, noting total seaborne transport of fresh produce grew by 3% to 119m tons. Major market movers, including global fruit traders Chiquita and Del Monte, continue to transfer their trade to boxes. Specialised conventional carriers, including this years market leaders, Baltic Shipping and Seatrade, are being forced to focus on an increasingly tight number

The films range in topic from creating a permaculture orchard, using rainwater harvesting techniques, to finding land as a new farmer. Each was chosen to inspire Jefferson Countys farmers, future farmers and gardeners in new techniques and sustainable farming. We looked at a lot of films, said Michael Pilarski, organizer of the film festival. We picked a couple because theyre really new, others because they have great practical information, and some because

I didnt understand at that point the far-reaching benefits that [grazing] can haveand it started me on this journey to sustainability, he said. Thats what led us to investigating solar and sustainable energy practices on our farm.

Ohios Historic Family Farms program was developed in 1993 to honor Ohios founding farm families for their contributions to agriculture in Ohio. Farms under same-family ownership for 100 years or more qualify to be designated as a historic family farm. In 26 years, weve seen this program grow from eight recipients in its inaugural year to nearly 1,800 registered farms today. The level of enthusiasm from farm families receiving their historic designations is indisput

One of the most troubling signals coming from the survey relates to the next generation of farmers, wrote Eric Bohl, director of public affairs for Missouri Farm Bureau. It caught my attention.

Wind is one of Mother Natures most powerful resources. Its unruly momentum can unleash an unforgiving force of destruction that can severely damage everything in its path. But when its plentiful force is harvested through modern technology and converted into electricity, wind is an unlimited natural resource that can provide jobs, strengthen economies and encourage investments.

The blueberry farmers requested a letter from the commission in an effort to recover lost money through disaster relief. At issue is how the farmers attempted to harvest their badly damaged crops, what was reported, and what has been paid out and then asked for in return. The 2019 Disaster Relief Act enabled the farmers across the country to get assistance from hurricanes Michael, Florence and Dorian that hit in 2018 and 2019, plus other disasters such as floods, snowstorms, tornadoes and wil

In December 2019, EPA announced approval of nine biopesticides and one conventional pesticide for use on hemp. This was the first time the federal agency approved products for use on hemp since the December 2018 Farm Bill provisions that removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, legalizing hemp for commercial use and production.

As of Dec. 31, 2019, CPs movement of grain for the 2019-20 crop year was 12.17 million tonnes, up 2.1% over last year. The 2019 calendar year, which includes portions of two separate crop years, was a record at 27 million tonnes. 2019 has been a banner year for CP and the Canadian grain supply chain despite the challenging economic and environmental conditions, said Joan Hardy, vice-president of sales and marketing for grain and fertilizers at CP. These month-after

The Iron Women programme is aimed at training women to become heavy-duty truck drivers. This is because, statistically, women are responsible drivers. They are involved in less traffic accidents, use less fuel and breaks, and, therefore, reduce maintenance costs. For this reason, women heavy-duty truck drivers do not only improve business for Volvos customers, but also saves lives on the road. The values of the Volvo Group are around gender diversity, transformation, and acceptance of

Major weather events such as hurricanes, blizzards, and historic flooding can produce immediate volatility as well as lasting effects on supply chains, depending on where they hit. Besides the obvious results of every day/short-term weather possible shutdowns of local/ regional supply chains and potential closures of roads, businesses and government offices intense and long-term weather events have a bigger effect on supply, demand and freight rates. There's often a rush for t

Companies have struggled for years to find the metric that best captures or reflects potential profitability, McLinns presentation states. [Possibilities include] revenue, revenue per loaded/total mile, miles per day/week/month, revenue per day/week/month and balance.

Historic rainfall, severe cold and snow in 2019 left devastating impacts on Michigans farming and agricultural communities. Heading into the 2020 growing season, many farmers in parts of the state were already feeling behind schedule, running out of time and options. Nearly 38 inches of rain fell in West Michigan between May 1, 2018, and April 30, 2019, making it the third-wettest year on record in Michigan's history. Flooded or muddied fields prevented many farmers from planting and h

In the days after wildfires tore through southeastern Australias sheep and cattle country, farmers rushed to bury their dead.Among the farmers was Brett Jessop. On New Years Eve, a fire ravaged the 60-acre farm in Cobargo where he kept 250 dairy cattle, burning down a ha

The next decade is perhaps the most important for the global agricultural industry, factoring in some of the urgent challenges we need to deal with climate change, depleting land and water resources and growing population. While at the same time, we can find hope in some of the key technological and scientific advancements that promise to help us address these challenges

The north kept pace by moving live cattle up to $124.50 and dressed cattle at $200. National Beef continued to be absent from the live trade with other big three willing to participate in the market. Potentially slowing demand and lower packer margins will determine how the market will progress over the next few months. By the close of the CME on Friday, the board was only $.70 cents from an even basis. If the basis continues to narrow, the trading behavior of the hedgers will change. Feeders

I watched as many small family farms were bought out by large family farms and learned that this was a national trend. Years later I noticed that large family farms were being swallowed up by large corporations. Has this trend leveled off and what is the future of the family farm?

The Mid-America Association of State Transportation Officials is still needing input from truckers for its truck parking survey. The deadline has been extended to Jan. 10. In conjunction with the American Transportation Research Institute, MAASTO is seeking more information to understand the truck parking situation in the Midwest. MAASTO states include, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. More specifically, the survey is a follow-up on

The Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), a 15,000-member non-profit transportation industry trade group, recently launched an effort to defund the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), according to James Lamb, the coalitions executive director.

The trend of wetter springs can mean losing more nitrogen, or just having more limited options for nitrogen application and timing. Looking at data going back to 1977, Scharf said it is taking longer for farmers to get from 25% complete planting corn to 75%. There is about a 2% average increase in time statewide, but the northern three crop reporting districts in Missouri are seeing increases of 5, 6 and 4% in the time it takes them to get from 25% to 75% finished with corn planting. Scharf s

The grain markets in 2019 were dominated by headlines tied to the trade war, weather disasters and production concerns across the Corn Belt, as well as weaker demand. The outlook for 2020 is more optimistic on the demand side as the United States is on the cusp of a more positive trade environment. The big unknown is still the weather for the planting and growing season and what that will mean for acreage and crop size.

The grain markets in 2019 were dominated by headlines tied to the trade war, weather disasters and production concerns across the Corn Belt, as well as weaker demand. The outlook for 2020 is more optimistic on the demand side as the United States is on the cusp of a more positive trade environment. The big unknown is still the weather for the planting and growing season and what that will mean for acreage and crop size.

For many farmers, the winter months can be tough. For the vendors of the Shepherdstown Indoor Winter Farmers Market, however, the cold weather wont drive out business. The market was held Sunday inside of the War Memorial Building. This is the first time the Shepherdstown Farmers Market has had an event in the winter, said Leslie Prillaman, market manager of Shepherdstown Farmers Market. This was an idea that was born in October, she said. We just floated it around

Hundreds of these barns are dark now, the cows have disappeared, the hum of the milking machines has been silenced. All of our neighbors are finished, said Sue Spaulding, a dairy farmer near Shell Lake in Washburn County. She and her husband, Chuck, a soldier, milk about 60 cows on their 300-acre farm that Chuck bought when he was only 17 years old. Seven years ago, the Spauldings borrowed a lot to modernize their barn and position things for the future. It looked good on

The Hopper Bottom Grain Trailer Market research added by UpMarketResearch.com, offers a comprehensive analysis of growth trends prevailing in the global business domain. This report also provides definitive data concerning market, size, commercialization aspects and revenue forecast of the industry. In addition, the study explicitly highlights the competitive status of key players within the projection timeline while focusing on their portfolio and regional expansion endeavours.

Ive increasingly heard the word industrial used to describe large modern dairy farms. Recently, the term appeared 16 times in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story. As a dairy farmer and proud owner of one of these farms, I feel that the word suggests a soulless, grim, unfeeling enterprise. This would not describe my farm nor almost any dairy of any size I have ever been privileged to visit. The fact is that dairying, no matter the size of the farm, is hard work that demands

Messaging - Sending instant messages on loads is easy now with this new feature that allows carriers to directly message the shipper or broker for a quicker response and cuts out extra time spent on making calls. Messenger also allows for negotiating rates and placing bids, sending voice recordings and texts, as well as attachments such as load confirmations or bill of lading tickets. All messages are stored privately on the app. Load Alerts - Stay up

OMAHA, NEBRASKA, U.S. Heartland Co-op has finalized the acquisition of the Texas and New Mexico grain and processed corn business of AGP Grain Marketing LLC, a subsidiary of Ag Processing Inc (AGP). Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The Texas and New Mexico locations have been a part of AGPs grain operations since 2002, said Keith Spackler, chief executive officer of AGP. We are pleased to see the facilities remain in the cooperative sy

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Whats Thanksgiving without stuffing, Christmas without gingerbread, Fourth of July without hamburgers, or birthdays without cake? A world without wheat looks a lot different when the most iconic of our foods are made from it. As every Kansan knows, we are the bread basket of the U.S. and produce the most wheat nationwide nearly every year. However, in recent years we are planting less of our namesake grain.

On average, Thad Campbell rescues about 10 to 15 stranded cars everyday. But after a snowstorm, he rescues more than double the amount. We had at least, as a whole we had about 100 calls that we had to get through. On average you get about 15 done per driver. And if you were on call maybe 30-40, he says. He says most of the calls were about people needing to get out of snow banks. A majority of them. Id say 90% were about towing or winches, Campbell says. Wo

A trucker has detailed the moment he saved a man from a burning truck in the NSW Southern Highlands. Darren Cooke was driving north along the Hume Highway at Yerrinbool on February 12 at dawn when he arrived at the scene of an accident. Two trucks had crashed an

Transporting goods from one location to another is not always as cut and dry as it may appear. Since every organization has their own unique items that they are required to ship to other destinations, there is always a need to build better ways to transport goods. This is also one of the primary reasons why todays manufacturers are designing different types of trailers to accommodate the diverse demands of suppliers all over the globe.

With the start of a new year, Florida-based Cormo USA Inc. says it is looking forward to its first full year of operation in Indiana. Delayed a year from its original plan, Cormo says it will be working with a still undetermined number of Indiana farmers this year to collect corn crop residue and generate two sustainable products. We have a number of farmers lined up ready to work with us, said Cormo USA Chief Executive Officer Stefan Muehlbauer. We will be doing the cont

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Bunge Ltd ended its 13-year ownership interest in an Iowa ethanol plant, the company said on Thursday, following industry struggles with thin margins and overproduction. Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, or SIRE, repurchased Bunges stake in the facility on Dec. 31, according to a statement. U.S. ethanol producers say the industry has suffered from the Trump administrations expanded use of waivers to exempt oil refineries from blending ethanol into gasoline. As

Bunge Ltd ended its 13-year ownership interest in an Iowa ethanol plant, the company said on Thursday, following industry struggles with thin margins and overproduction. Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, or SIRE, repurchased Bunges stake in the facility on Dec. 31, according to a statement. U.S. ethanol producers say the industry has suffered from the Trump administrations expanded use of waivers to exempt oil refineries from blending ethanol into gasoline. As of last month, some

The random drug-test increase from 25% to 50% of the average number of a carriers drivers was made public by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on Dec. 26. The agency estimated doubling the rate would cost the trucking industry an additional $50 million to $70 million for calendar year 2020. The cost to double the rate of testing is the most obvious implication for companies, J.J. Keller Transport Safety Editor Kathy Close told FreightWaves. Bu

We have a pretty stable wheat supply not only in Texas but also in the U.S.,", says Steelee Fischbacher, Director of Policy for Texas Wheat Producers. So that means we grow a significant portion that we dont actually need here at home, and we can send it around the world. Weather conditions are looking much better so far in the New Year, which makes farmers hopeful for this years growing season.

In the spring, the state saw severe weather in the form of flooding and tornadoes. At the height of the flooding, 150 highways were closed either due to standing water or damage. Estimates by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation show that flooding caused nearly $20 million in damages to highways and county roads this year.

The reason DFMs have become so popular is market opportunity and technological advances. Plus, there are few barriers to entry with relatively few capital risks making it an attractive place for entrepreneurs to get their start. When there is over $700 billion worth of an industry pie available (and an estimated $50B in brokerage commissions every year), its natural that everyone wants a piece of that pie. Until the last few years, freight brokering was handled by someone sitti

At long last, November drilled wheat emerged after what seemed like an eternity and was looking pleased with itself, having survived the gamble of delayed drilling, even though we had no other option. As a bonus, it looks like the weed and disease pressures are very low.

A fresh decade means fresh ideas. Brigitte Pellerin talks to some of the local people who are innovating some in small ways, some in big ones, some in community-focused enterprises. Today, Brennan Turner of FarmLead focuses on the future of agriculture

Family farms continue to be the core of U.S. agriculture, a new federal government report says. Family farms account for 98 percent of U.S. farms and 88 percent of U.S. ag production, according to Americas Diverse Family Farms 2019 Edition from the U.S. Department of Agricultures Economic Research Service. The numbers reflect a longstanding pattern, Bryon Parman, North Dakota State University Extension agriculture finance specialist, said when asked to comm

The demolition and clearing of the vegetable farms in Cameron Highlands shows the indifference of the state authorities to the plight of the farmers. As land is a state matter, the farmers who are experienced vegetable growers, could have been relocated as the contentious issue has been on-going for the past few years. These farmers are going to be unemployed and deprived of an income to sustain their families. The Pahang state government could have offered these farmers alternative land on a

The event included presentations on career opportunities in agriculture and one-on-one meetings with agricultural professionals, many of whom were on hand at the Ag Show and volunteered to participate in the expo. We received really good feedback from the professionals, as well, Jansen said. They said they enjoyed the opportunities to talk with students and expose them to opportunities within their own company and in agriculture as a whole. The Agricultural Career

Its the chicken or the egg. Money drives conservation on my farm, or maybe conservation drives money, says producer Tommy Young. It doesnt really matter to me because every day, I see irrigation conservation and money working hand-in-hand. The challenge of balancing profit and conservation is a consistently mounting consideration for U.S. agriculture. Although water is a path for savings and sustainability on many operations, growers sometimes leave t

Big rigs are limited by federal regulation to a maximum loaded weight of 80,000 pounds including cargo, so the actual amount of cargo a big rig can carry really depends on the type and weight of the truck when empty.

WASHINGTON The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced that it will increase the annual percentage rate for random controlled substances testing for CDL holders to 50%. The percentage increase take effect for the calendar year 2020 and is double last years 25%.

As a boy, Zack Martins school teacher told him, he couldnt get paid for staring out of a window, but the former marine says he proved the teacher wrong by becoming a truck driver and building a successful heavy-load trucking business, Crawler Haulers, in the city of Lafayette in Louisiana. I joined the US Marines when I was a young kid and it really made me who I am, as I was taught right from wrong, responsibility and having the focus to do something. The mentality of a

Freightwaves recently announced its Freight.Tech25, recognizing the 25 most innovative companies in supply chain and logistics. While Amazon took the top spot for the second straight year, a much younger, lesser-known, company was recognized as the second-most innovative company in the industry for 2019, also for the second year in a row. That company is project44, founded by Jett McCand

The year 2019 certainly had its challenges but on the precision/digital agriculture front its been as active and exciting year as weve had for some time.No, there were no blockbuster acquisitions or mind-bending launches. But there was unprecedented conversation and collaboration that emerged organically from the stalwart agriculture companies that, at the end of the day, will largely dictate the terms by which technology is adopted.

Corn is a cereal grain which was primarily cultivated by the native people of Southern Mexico. A significant rise in the total production of corn across the globe has been observed, and now has become a staple food in larger parts of the world. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has stated that the total world production of corn or maize in 2017 alone was about 1,134 Mn tonnes. Corn is used widely in the human food to increase the nutritional value, in feed for livestock, in chemicals an

Students who attended the field trips became familiar with the research farm and participated in five 30-minute lessons on grain nutrition, grain food demonstration, grains and animals, corn science and grain production. At the grain nutrition station, students learn about the six major types of grains and discuss the importance of eating whole grains. They practice finding grain ingredients listed on food product packaging and also learn to recognize the whole grain food stamp. At the grain

CENTRAL, S.C. Tom Garrison wants you to know hes a realist, not a pessimist. But from where he stands on the 1,000-acre farm his family has worked for 150 years things are looking bleak. Ive never seen anything like t

For a farmer, work depends on weather, seasons, and the calendar. As the snow falls on the farm this December day, you call it reflection time. "I'm glad I'm sitting in here looking out rather than try to pick corn in this weather," said farmer Les Anderson and President of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. He's reflected on 2019. "You just sort of want to get it behind you and move on," said Anderson. He speaks for many when he says this past year was one of those historically bad year

Investigators in Grant County say 47 year old Kimberly Dysthe Goeden was the bookkeeper for Ashby Farmers Cooperative Elevator during the time when Jerry Hennessey embezzled nearly $5.5 million dollars, causing the co-op to become insolvent.

According to the results, 97% of women indicated theyre confident in their ability to positively impact the future of the industry. The Women in Food and Agriculture survey revealed a great deal about where the agri-food sector stands on inclusion, and illuminated where we need to collaborate to affect positive change, said Mark Lyons, president and chief executive officer of Alltech. There are challenges to overcome yet there are several steps that organizations c

Shipper lead times shrank by 5% on average in 2019 compared to 2018 as capacity was almost guaranteed throughout the year indicated by the Outbound Tender Rejection Index (OTRI) falling from over 15% to around 5% early in the year. Lead time is the amount of time between order submission and requested pickup date measured in days. Through the back half of 2018 the average lead time was 2.74 days, while the average for the last 6 months in 2019 was 2.6 days. The decline in lead time ma

Upper Midwest agriculturalists are hardly strangers to difficult harvest conditions. But the 2019 crop season brought what many in area ag say was the worst, most onerous harvest in memory.The miserable harvest began with repeated rains in August that hampered combining wheat and other small grains. It continued with more rain in September and then widespread blizzards in October, November and December. All crops raised in the region suffered to some extent, as did virtually all farmers and r

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) and the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) have traditionally been at opposite ends of the farming and political spectrum. But there does seem to have been some narrowing of the gap in recent years, with those who base themselves in the universitys Examination School (the OFC) finding more and more of interest in what goes on in the Town Hall (ORFC). Issues that the OFRC has been talking about for years climate change, sustainability, biod

Theres a lot to applaud in the efforts to transform a vacant lot owned by DART into an urban farm in South Dallas. Weve written many times in these pages about the areas lack of access to nutritious food. Thousands of Dallas residents still live miles away from grocery stores and too close to fast-food options that lead to higher cases of obesity, diabetes and all sorts of ailments. And any project that promises to improve on land in that a neglected part of our ci

Christmas is a good time to make wishes for the peace and well-being of others. One of our top wishes this year does that: we hope for all farmers in Ohio to have written farmland leases. Its an odd wish, we know. But putting leases in writing can help landowners and farm tenants live in peace, and we like that. Farm leases have always been prone to being verbal agreements, sealed with a handshake. Simplicity and trust are two plausible reasons weve done business that way. But a

Railroads are the most efficient transportation mode for moving goods on the earths surface. Railroads are of particular importance for the movement of commodities that heavy and moved in bulk over long distances where the transportation spend represents a large portion of the total delivered cost. Just a few examples of commodities moved by railroad are coal, grain, fertilizer, chemicals, forest products, finished motor vehicles and metals, among many others. The railroads are no long

A house that has been in Bob Dashners family since 1853 is getting demolished. While it hurts, he knows it is just one of the many casualties claimed by the flooding in southwest Iowa this past year.

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, U.S. U.S. President Donald Trump signed funding legislation on Dec. 20 for the federal government to have funding for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year. My mission is to put our country on the very best footing to thrive, excel compete and to win, Trump said about signing the legislation that will fund the federal government through Sept. 30, 2020.

USDA announcing this week it's rolling out federal crop insurance for hemp growers in 21 states. USDA's Risk Management Agency pilot insurance program will cover the 2020 hemp crop in certain counties within the states. This is the first federal crop insurance program to protect against yield loss in hemp grown for fiber, grain or CBD. Previously, growers had little to no insurance. Hemp had to be rolled into the whole revenue of the farm under the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Coverage progr

As of Dec. 17, 2019, nearly all truck drivers operating on U.S. roadways had to have ELDs installed to track drivers' hours of service. The ELD deadline actually was not a single deadline, but rather three separate deadlines, the first occurring in December 2017 with the "soft" enforcement period and the second taking place on April 1, 2018, with the "hard" enforcement deadline. This latest deadline was for drivers who used automatic onboard recording devices (AOBRDs) and were grandfathered.

About 40 of the rigs formed a convoy to escort the one with a flatbed trailer carrying the casket of Dennis Shafer of rural Wyoming from Lenz Memorial Home in central Lacon to a rural cemetery in the northwest corner of Marshall County. Shafer, a second-generation trucker and farmer, died Dec. 21 at age 47 after a long illness. He left behind his wife, Rita, who runs a day care, and five children at home, as well as his parents and a brother.

The trucking industry operates in a market based on real-time demand and supply. When demand is higher than capacity, carriers gain negotiating power for rates. When supply is higher than demand, shippers have the advantage. The DHL Supply Chain/FreightWaves Pricing Power Index uses the analytics and data contained in FreightWaves SONAR to analyze the market and estimate the negotiating power for rates between shippers and carriers.

The news we pay attention to every day is a harbinger of how events will unfold in the near future. As we enter 2020 and the beginning of a new decade, here are three news items that may be indicators of phenomena worth watching in the trucking industry between

China has already restarted some purchases. In November, China's imports of soybeans surged to a 20 month high following the announcement of a trade deal. Soybean imports more than doubled the October pace and the highest since March of 2018 when trade tensions

(Bloomberg) -- There was nothing typical about this years grain season in the U.S. Midwest, with one exception: The size of the corn crop. Wild weather delayed plantings by the most on record, a strong dollar hurt exports, the trade war with China hit dem

NAKURU, KENYA Kenya-based edible oils manufacturer Bidco Africa has teamed up with U.S. conglomerate Land OLakes to invest $11.7 million in the upgrade of an animal feed mill in Nakuru. The plant will have a processing capacity of 28 tonnes per ho

Comments about truck weight limits made at public hearings in Challis and Salmon in early December will now be forwarded to the Idaho Transportation Board, which will make a final decision about allowing heavier trucks on the roads. Engineers and public relation specialists with the Idaho Transportation Department conducted two public hearings on a request from Andrew Lott, with Arlo G. Lott Trucking. That Jerome company applied for weight limit changes on portions of U.S. Highway 93 and Idah

One trucker's time on the wintery roads inspired him to create an intermediary reservoir that hooks up to a tractor and trailer to inject the fluid into the brake system to prevent the brakes from freezing or locking.

Ship owners have sought to seal a number of deals prior to the end of 2019, both in the newbuilding and the second hand markets. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking noted that things remained interesting for yet another week in the newbuilding market. In the dry bulk sector, we witnessed an another good rally for the Kamsarmax size segment, which saw its Orderbook boosted by 4 (optional + 4) units. This may have caught many by surprise, given the steep negative p

Egypt has planted 2.750 million acres of wheat since the start of the current season in mid-November, an agriculture ministry official told Reuters on Wednesday. The worlds largest grain importer will reach its target of 3.5 million acres of wheat (1.47 million hectares) and finish the current season by the end of December, said Abbas al-Shennawi, head of the ministrys services and follow-up sector. Wheat plantation will continue after December in some rainy areas, he added. Egy

FreightWavesTV experienced outstanding growth in 2019. In addition to adding several new shows and podcasts, the worlds largest news and market analytics source dedicated to freight celebrated the launch of its FreightWavesTV streaming app for mobile, tablet and at-home TV entertainment devices. One of the platforms newest and most popular programs is Fuller Speed Ahead. Hosted by Craig Fuller, the FreightWaves CEO provides exclusive interviews with prominent and i

MORTON, Ill. Few of us enjoy spending the holidays at work, let alone on the road, far from family and friends. While it can be hard for some truckers, one truck driver said all he needs to feel at home is his wife sitting in the passenger seat. I usually dont care where Im at. As long as my wife is with me. Some years you like to be home more than others but I got heat in the truck, direct tv in there and a custom fridge and everything you need, Greg Kearne

(Bloomberg) -- There was nothing typical about this years grain season in the U.S. Midwest, with one exception: The size of the corn crop. Wild weather delayed plantings by the most on record, a strong dollar hurt exports, the trade war with China hit demand for the corn-ethanol industry and early snow meant some growers couldnt even finish harvesting. Despite it all, the crop proved resilient. We ended up getting more planted than we thought, said Heath Barnes, ch

The drilling window flexibility offered by spring wheat has never been more appealing, after the most difficult autumn conditions that many can remember disrupted winter cereal plantings and root crop harvesting. With just one addition to the Recommended List for this year Group 2 Giraffe from KWS the range of varieties means spring wheat has something for everyone who finds themselves drilling from November onwards whether they planned to or not. Newcomer Giraffe diff

A Research Report on Hopper Bottom Grain Trailer Market Potential Growth, Share, Demand and Analysis of Key Players Research Forecasts to (2019 2026). The global Hopper Bottom Grain Trailer Market research report covers main factors responsible for the development of the global Hopper Bottom Grain Trailer Market. The research report on Hopper Bottom Grain Trailer Market evaluates the growth trends of the industry through Past study and estimates future prospects based on compr

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) Fresh potato prices have roughly doubled after a poor growing year and a frosty harvest caused American production to drop 6% in 2019. Idaho spud growers who were able to get their harvest out of the ground, and who sell their spuds on the fresh market, are benefiting from the sky-high prices. Few of those growers are in the Magic Valley, where most producers sign contracts with major potato processors in order to lock in their prices. While production did drop

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - With industrial hemp promoted as a new cash crop for struggling farmers, Louisiana's agriculture department is fast-tracking the regulations for the newly legal commodity, with the first grower licenses expected to win approval in February. Interested farmers are packing orientation sessions to learn about the lengthy paperwork, licensing, testing and reporting requirements the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry is enacting to govern industrial hemp productio

Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) recognizes the many ways that the trucking industry gave back to their local communities during this holiday season. Trucking companies and organizations consisting of all sizes across the U.S. submitted their stories of cha

Tenders are actual load requests, which is why they are far superior to any other indicator of health, demand, and capacity in the trucking and freight market. Tender indicators lead spot rate movement and by tracking them, you can start to forecast spot rates, capacity, and demand. Economists and analysts can use tenders to monitor the state of the economy and build forecasts for economic health and activity. Before we dive into how to use tender activity, we should define a few terms that w

Foster Farms will pick up about 35,000 chickens at the end of December from Maple Crest Farms in Ridgefield for one final time. Then farm owners Marvin and Diane Gering will retire after 44 years in the chicken business. The Gerings retirement will leave just three chicken farms in Clark County. Some 18 farms have existed at one time or another during the Gerings time in the business, none remaining in operation as long as the Gerings. When the Gerings purchased the farm at 2111

We want to wish you, your family and business a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) recently released the latest edition of its Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking. The report found that the average marginal cost per mile incurred by motor carriers in 2018 increased 7.7% to $1.82. This is not surprising, given the increased cost of equipment over the last decade (largely due to regulatory mandates) and safety issues (lane departure, collision avoidance, anti-rollover, automatic transmissions).

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The 2019 freight market was a shadow of 2018 in terms of capacity. Spot rates hit all-time highs as carriers rejected over 25% of their contracted freight requests in June of last year. Since that time, carriers became much more compliant, rejecting as few as 3.8% of their loads in early August this year as volumes retreated and capacity grew. Over the past week FreightWaves national Outbound Tender Rejection Index (OTRI) broke 12% for the first time since January 4, 2019, a decent signal of

For those involved in agriculture, you know the relief of finishing harvest in 2019 or the anxiousness for the many who will wait it out until spring before they can finish harvesting because of crop conditions.I ventured out to the cornfield on Dec. 18, 2019, to ride along for the final passes of corn harvest simply as a celebratory cheerleader.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. The falling numbers test is important to Upper Midwest grain farmers, especially this crop season. The test also can be confusing and even a little mysterious. A demonstration Dec. 12 at the annual Prairie Grains Conference in Grand Forks sought to clear up some of the confusion and mystery. "Everyone's hearing about it this year. A lot of producers wonder about the test. How important it is. How it works," said Brian Sorenson, program manager with Northern Crops Ins

KATANNING cropping brothers Stephen and Richard Marshall were pleased to wrap-up the 2019 grain harvest last week with above average yields. And it was a new addition to their combine harvesters that brought some of the greatest satisfaction. The Marshalls had the latest version of the Integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD) installed on their two New Holland CR 90.70 headers by local dealer, McIntosh & Son and they completed the harvest program without a hitch.

This morning, Celadon Group (OTC: CGIP) executives told its employees that the company filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 and will shut down the operations of its over-the-road fleet. The official announcement came after a chaotic weekend of credit, customer, and driver issues when word got out about Celadons impending Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

In his Nobel Lecture in 1970, Norman Borlaug said, Civilization as it is known today could not have evolved, nor can it survive, without an adequate food supply, underscoring the pivotal role of agriculture and the need to sustain its growth. Three agricultural revolutions in the past have changed the history of mankind: transformation from hunter-gatherers to farming around 10,000 BC; increased productivity of farming through mechanization during 1700s to 1900s; and the Green r

I was waiting for my favorite TV show to come on, watching all-too-familiar commercials. Theres that lady dressed like a mom, tightrope walking several stories above a crowded street, carrying meals in each hand to her family on a nearby rooftop. Theres the deep-voiced insurance pitchman, ostensibly seated in an intersection as cars seemingly careen around him.Youve seen these ads, too. And like me, youve read the fine print at the bottom of the screen: Prof

Grain elevators face significant challenges in the year ahead as they buy basis on corn, soybeans, and wheat at the highest levels seen in years. Basis for all three of the major grains is significantly tighter across the country from strong end-user bids, limited pipeline supplies, and lack of farmer selling amid an uncertain fall harvest, according to a new report from CoBanks Knowledge Exchange division. In addition to having to buy more expensive basis, grain elevators are b

Proactive beats reactive every time. If you as a potential driver (or fleet executive) knew in advance the concerns about the job from current truckers before deciding to climb into the drivers seat, wouldnt you pay attention? Of course you would. Well, you can, to an extent. One of the great benefits of the digital age in which we live is the proliferation of websites and forums. Anyone can have one these days. And if you start one that gets some buzz, theres credibility

One of the trucking industrys largest companies just got slammed with a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission. Atlanta, Georgia-based FleetCor counts tens of thousands of small businesses and individual truck drivers among its customer base. And, accord