From Farm Gate to World Stage: How Ports and Freight Keep Agriculture Moving

What happens to a crop after it leaves the farm can be just as important as what happens while it is growing.

Avery Davidson sits down at the Port of New Orleans with U.S. Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary Michael Rutherford, Port NOLA Chief Commercial Officer Kristi App and Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain to follow agriculture from the farm gate to the global marketplace.

They discuss the Mississippi River and America’s inland waterways, the growing role of containerized agriculture, the future Louisiana International Terminal, new efforts to improve freight visibility and security, and why every delay, bridge, lock, rail line and port eventually affects the farmer’s bottom line.

It is a look at the massive transportation network working behind the scenes to keep Louisiana agriculture — and American agriculture — moving.

Show Notes:

Host: Avery Davidson

Guests:

Michael Rutherford
Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy
U.S. Department of Transportation

Kristi App
Chief Commercial Officer
Port of New Orleans

Mike Strain, D.V.M.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry

 

In This Episode

The conversation explores:

• Why inland waterways remain essential to agricultural exports
• How transportation costs ultimately affect the farm gate
• The Mississippi River’s role in connecting the Midwest and Louisiana to global markets
• How barge, rail, truck and ocean freight work together
• The growth of containerized agricultural exports
• Why containers may create new opportunities for smaller agricultural businesses
• Port NOLA’s Louisiana International Terminal
• Why larger container vessels are changing port infrastructure
• Freight Logistics Optimization Works, or FLOW
• The American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative
• Supply chain security and foreign logistics platforms
• Why better data can make freight movement more predictable
• Federal investment in ports, bridges and freight infrastructure
• The importance of cooperation among agriculture, transportation and port agencies
• Learn more about the Port of New Orleans
• Learn more about the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy
• Learn more about the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
• Learn more about Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers here
• Find a Louisiana Farm Bureau office in your parish here.
• Become a member of Louisiana Farm Bureau today.

Creators and Guests

Host

Avery Davidson

Director of Communications at Louisiana Farm Bureau

What is Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast?

Louisiana Farm Bureau is constantly working protect and promote Louisiana's farmers, ranchers, and rural residents. This podcast exists to share stories of those farmers with interviews about their farms and issues important to them. Here, we will also share about the work Farm Bureau is doing on their behalf on issues related to public policy from the parish level all the way to the halls of Congress in D.C.