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FARM PROGRESS: SHIPPING ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER REMAINS AT RISK
Jan. 4, 2013
Farm Progress reports:
Due to low water levels on the Mississippi River as a result of the continuing drought, waterways groups continue to warn that a closure in January could severely affect the supply chain.
The American Waterways Operators (AWO) and Waterways Council Inc. (WCI) on Wednesday released revised data on the costs of a potential shutdown, noting that if river levels continue to drop between Jan. 7 and 31, the potential supply-chain disruption could affect more than 8,000 jobs, $54 million in wages and benefits, and 7.2 million tons of commodities valued at $2.8 billion.
AWO and WCI note that these figures do not take into account supply-chain uncertainty during December or any potential economic impacts that will extend into February if traffic on the Mississippi comes to a halt.
"As these new economic numbers clearly indicate, our nation's shippers, farmers, manufacturers, operators and consumers, and working Americans with jobs now at risk, will be hard hit in the first month of the new year unless water is provided now to avert a shutdown," says Tom Allegretti, AWO president and CEO.
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