On the move: SDSRPC sponsors Transportation Go! conference

Transportation is essential to South Dakota farmers. Being a mostly agricultural state that exports nearly 40% of its farm products, commodities need to find their way out of the state to trade partners around the world. However, being located in the middle of the country creates some roadblocks.  

“The distance is some of it,” said Derrick Scott, District 2 director and Treasurer of the South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (SDSRPC). “We have somewhat of a rail network – it does the job but it’s not as expansive as other states. We don’t have use of our river due to the dam system that is on it, so we aren’t able to transport via water.” 

These issues were some of the topics of discussion at Transportation Go!, hosted by the Specialty Soya Grains Alliance (SSGA) in Minneapolis in March. SDSRPC is proud to sponsor the event. 

“This was my first time there, and I was very happy with the meeting: great group of speakers, great lineup,” Scot said. “They really delved into all different facets of transportation. We’re going to get more members to go next year.” 

With 60% of South Dakota’s soybeans leaving the country, it’s imperative that the soybean checkoff invests in projects and events like Transportation Go! to ensure their products arrive to customers. South Dakota soybeans typically leave the U.S. via the Pacific Northwest for countries in Southeast Asia. To get there, they are shipped by truck or rail – South Dakota has an interstate highway system and direct rail lines to the West Coast. This infrastructure allows products to leave the country cheaper and faster than competitors. 

“South America is our main competitor for soybeans, and they have a lot of issues when it comes to transportation,” Scott said. “The United States is leaps and bounds ahead of them as far as getting our product moved in a safe and in a quick nature. We’re able to get things out of here quickly, and the quality is maintained along that transport chain.”  

South Dakota lawmakers are also active in supporting agricultural transportation. In Washington, D.C., Senate Majority Leader John Thune has supported bills such as the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which was passed into law in 2022. 

“The Ocean Shipping Reform Act was pivotal, as it defined the role of the Federal Maritime Commission as having authority to rule upon and assess penalties upon container carriers on matters for example, relating to detention and demurrage charges without proper information being documented or a process to dispute charges,” Gary Williams, director of transportation and regulatory affairs for SSGA, said. “Shippers’ rights and fairness are now protected by this process of being able to present their case to the FMC for investigation.” 

SDSRPC also invests in organizations like the Soy Transportation Coalition, which seeks efficient transportation for soy shippers and customers.