BNSF rail to resume issuing grain shuttle permits to Mexico, company says
By P.J. Huffstutter
CHICAGO, Sept 30 (Reuters) -Berkshire Hathaway-owned BRKa.N BNSF Railway will resume issuing permits for grain shuttles heading to Mexico starting Tuesday, the company told Reuters on Monday, in a move that could help ease some delays impacting agricultural exports.
The news comes as U.S. East and Gulf Coast port workers are set to go on strike on Tuesday, with no talks currently scheduled to head off a stoppage.
Rail backlogs have been disrupting export trade between the United States and Mexico and snarling agricultural supply chains as the fall harvest is under way.
In late August, BNSF stopped issuing permits for grain shuttle trains going into Mexico, in part because booming demand outstripped the system's capacity, creating heavy congestion and a growing backlog of loaded trains, according to the company and agricultural export sources.
BNSF said it will resume issuing the permits, except for a small number in early October. Some permit requests still may not be fulfilled, and BNSF is monitoring the situation, the company said in an email to Reuters.
"BNSF’s actions are a great first step to getting ag commerce flowing freely between the countries again," National Grain and Feed Association President Mike Seyfert said Monday. "Until this bottleneck is fully addressed and trains are moving without delay, U.S. carriers and shippers could still face unexpected delays."
BNSF said it has continued to move agricultural trains of grains and grain products to Mexico during this process.
"We only limit shuttles due to congestion," the company said.
Union Pacific Corp UNP.N also has stopped issuing permits for grain shuttle trains to Mexico, according to its website.
Ferromex (FXE), the Mexican railroad that interchanges with BNSF and Union Pacific, has embargoed permits for grain trains at border crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, USDA said.
A UP spokesman said the company is closely monitoring the situation. Ferromex did not respond to a request for comment.
Reporting by P.J. Huffstutter in Chicago, Editing by Chris Reese
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