Agricultural organisations write to Trump team

The letter sent reads as follows:

The Honorable Mike Pence
Office of President-Elect Donald Trump
1800 F Street N.W. Room G117
Washington, D.C. 20270-0117

Dear Vice President-Elect Pence:

Congratulations on your and President-Elect Trump’s election victory. A number of important decisions and appointments will be forthcoming. As it pertains to transportation and on behalf of our members in the agriculture community, we write to express our interest in working with you to identify fair, knowledgeable, and impartial Commissioners to lead the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

STB’s current Commissioners – Chairman Daniel Elliott III, Vice Chairman Deb Miller, and Commissioner Ann Begeman – have made great progress implementing the STB Reauthorization Act of 2015 (S. 808) to help the agency better reflect the modern day rail marketplace. STB modernisation, including but not limited to the STB Reauthorisation Act of 2015, will help farmers, agribusinesses, and manufacturers be more competitive in the global marketplace. Safe, efficient, and competitive rail service is good news for all Americans.

The STB was created over 20 years ago. Since that time, much has changed in the freight rail industry. Recognising “the financially sound railroad industry of today” and not “…the foundering one that required rescue 35 years ago,”1 Congress unanimously passed the STB Reauthorisation Act of 2015 almost 12 months ago. Since it was signed into law, much has been done to modernise the agency, increase transparency and accountability to its stakeholders, and better balance the needs of railroads and their shipper/receiver customers. But there is much more to do. Many of the regulations and policies put in place decades ago by the STB and its predecessor, the Interstate Commerce Commission, no longer are relevant in today’s rail marketplace and need to be updated or eliminated.

President-Elect Trump will have an opportunity to appoint at least two Republican Commissioners to the STB. The STB is a critical oversight Board for shippers in the agriculture sector, many of which are dependent upon a single railroad for service. We urge that the nominees and Chairman of the Board possess the expertise, integrity, impartiality and sound judgment necessary for these important roles. STB Commissioners also should be committed to ongoing efforts to modernise the agency so it can better serve railroads and shippers.

We look forward to working with you toward a successful transition to a new Administration and in support of the agriculture community and our great nation.

Sincerely,

• The Fertilizer Institute
• American Farm Bureau Federation
• National Grain and Feed Association
• Agriculture & Commodities Transportation Coalition
• Agricultural Retailers Association
• American Soybean Association
• Corn Refiners Association
• Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils
• National Association of Wheat Growers
• National Barley Growers Association
• National Corn Growers Association
• National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
• National Farmers Union
• National Onion Association
• North American Millers' Association
• Soy Transportation Coalition
• USA Rice
• Agribusiness Association of Iowa
• Agribusiness Council of Indiana
• Alabama Agribusiness Council
• Alabama Crop Management Association
• Alabama Feed & Grain Association
• California Grain and Feed Association
• Far West Agribusiness Association
• Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association
• Georgia Agribusiness Council
• Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
• Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association
• Kansas Grain and Feed Association
• Michigan Agri-Business Association
• Michigan Bean Shippers
• Minnesota AgriGrowth Council
• Minnesota Grain and Feed Association
• Missouri Agribusiness Association
• Nebraska Agri-Business Association
• Nebraska Grain and Feed Association
• North Dakota Grain Dealers Association
• Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance
• Ohio AgriBusiness Association
• Oklahoma Agribusiness Retailers Association
• Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association
• Oregonians for Food & Shelter
• PennAg Industries Association
• Rocky Mountain Agribusiness Association
• SE Minnesota Grain & Feed Dealers
• South Carolina Fertilizer & AgriChemical Association
• South Dakota Agri-Business Association
• South Dakota Grain & Feed Association
• Texas Ag Industries Association
• Texas Grain and Feed Association
• Virginia Agribusiness Council
• Western Plant Health Association
• Wisconsin Agri-Business Association
• Wyoming Ag-Business Association

Cc: Mr. Nick Ayers, Senior Advisor to the Vice President-Elect, President-Elect's Transition Team

Mr. Rick Dearborn, Executive Director, President-Elect's Transition Team

Mr. Joel Leftwich, President-Elect's Transition Team

The Honorable Shirley Ybarra, President-Elect's Transition Team

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/materials-handling/02122016/agriculture-organisations-write-to-trump-team/