Expanding America’s pipeline infrastructure would relieve the nation’s overburdened freight rail network and improve service for farmers across the country, according to a new study from the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The booming energy business in the Upper Midwest increased rail congestion and freight costs for farmers in the region and cut their profits by $570 million during the 2014 harvest.
Increasing U.S. pipeline capacity – particularly in the Bakken region – is a prime solution for adding freight system capacity overall and relieving rail congestion, according to the report.