Ag Freight Study

Ag Freight Study

Maura Bennett
Maura Bennett
Colorado's State Highway Freight plan says agriculture is a key freight industry in Colorado.

According to the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Colorado's agriculture industry generates more than $5 billion in economic output annually and $1.7 billion in agricultural exports.

That would not be possible without well functioning freight systems.

The capacity, infrastructure, and pricing of some of the nation's ag freight transportation corridors are part of a study underway by the USDA.

Mark Burton of the University of Tennessee says nearly every corner of the US is under review.

"This is study we've just begun for the USDA. It is applying some of the tools we've used in other studies, some modeling capabilities to look at rail and water competition in ag served markets throughout the US."

IHS Global Insight reports that every Colorado county produces some sort of agricultural product, and is projected to continue to produce similar products into the future.

Agricultural production is the highest on the Eastern Plains and in the San Luis Valley. During times of harvest potentially every road in areas of high agricultural production serves as a mover of freight.

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