By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostCongressman Sam Graves says the St. Joseph Regional Port
Authority doesn’t just benefit the city, it benefits farmers throughout the
region.Graves says barge traffic gives farmers another transportation
option and one which nearly always is cheaper.“It’s a huge benefit,” Graves tells reporters during a recent
visit to St. Joseph. “It’s just another opportunity, another transportation
opportunity, for shipping product, both in and out. Any time you can do that it
spurs competition. It allows for cheaper shipping which is good for customers
and consumers all over the country.”Graves points out the St. Joseph port has had to adapt, not
just with the typically erratic Missouri River, but with flooding and with
changes made by how the Army Corps of Engineers manages the river.“We’ve seen the port here in St. Joe, it’s adjusted and
shifted and had to do that as a result of navigation issues on the Missouri River
and particularly this far north, but they’ve adapted and adapted well,” according
to Graves. “So, it’s a great asset for St. Joseph.”Graves says barge traffic often is the cheapest mode of
transportation and, just its availability helps keep the cost of other
transportation modes down.Graves met with many groups during the Congressional break,
including members of the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River.The House in Washington, D.C. has approved the Water Resources
Development Act, which includes around $9 million for the Army Corps of
Engineers to shore up flood protection and restore the Missouri River
eco-system. The Senate has yet to act on the legislation. Graves says a
significant aspect of the act is to expand which Missouri River levees damaged
by the 2019 floods are eligible for federal assistance.“Including non-federal projects as well as federal projects in
there, because it’s a system and if you don’t close those gaps in between the
federal levees, then you obviously don’t have a system that keeps the water
back,” Graves saysA piece in the legislation would end the practice of
establishing complexes to aid in the spawning of the endangered Pallid
Sturgeon. Graves says federal officials have failed to demonstrate the Interception-Rearing
Complexes actually help the Pallid Sturgeon.

Port authority reaps benefits for farmers in St. Joseph region