South Dakota Farmers Meet with Surface Transportation Board to Discuss Rail Issues

HURON, S.D. – Maintaining strong communication between the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and farmers was the purpose of a meeting between STB board and South Dakota farmers held in D.C. September 12.

 “This is the beginning of what we see as a series of conversations with STB members to ensure that history does not repeat itself,” said Doug Sombke, President of S.D. Farmers Union and a fourth generation Conde farmer.

 Sombke references issues South Dakota, and other Upper Midwest, farmers faced shipping grain in 2012 and 2013.

 “We wanted to make sure that new STB members understand the challenges we faced in the past – which we were able to overcome by working together. It is our goal, that once trade opens up again, we are able to ship our commodities,” Sombke explained.

 And today, there are additional concerns, said Aberdeen farmer, Jeff Kippley. “This trade war was not the farmers choice, it was the government’s choice. The concern is, if and when trade opens again with China, will there be rail cars available to ship our grain? As with any good company, those rail cars aren’t sitting idle. They are hauling oil and other goods,” Kippley said. “We don’t want them to forget about us.”

 With plans to meet periodically with the STB moving forward, Sombke and Kippley said they feel optimistic about the future.

 “We were able to share the policy of Farmers Union as it pertains to rail. STB said they were appreciative of the information shared and encouraged us to maintain this open communication between our farmers and the STB,” Sombke said.

 This meeting was one of many South Dakota family farmers and ranchers participated in during the 2018 National Farmers Union Fly-In, held this week in D.C.