The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency was forced to suspend rail operations at key points into and out of Mexico. The move is to help alleviate the sharp increase in illegal immigration at the border.
These actions affect U.S. corn and barley shipments, two commodities the U.S. Grains Council represents. The CBP is working with the Mexican government to remedy the situation as quickly as possible, but there’s no timeline for returning to normal operations. “The North American trading system relies on interconnectedness, and any disruption affects Mexican and U.S. Commodities,” says USGC Chair Ryan LeGrand. “It’s vital the situation gets resolved in a timely manner.”
A letter from the NCGA says, “We are aware of trains sitting at origin in at least six states that are unable to move, and we expect that number to grow. Mexican customers are telling U.S. shippers that they’ll soon consider other suppliers.”
- NAFB