R ail disruptions are causing headaches for some Midwest farmers and industries as they face up to an 11-day delay in fertilizer and ethanol shipments.

While Iowa has eluded far-reaching disruptions, likely because of having other transportation options such as barge traffic on the Mississippi River, unfilled grain car orders have risen substantially since 2020 — up 1%  in the past year after a 379 % hike the year prior.

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Economist Daniel Munch says domestic rail transportation is vital to move goods and products supplied by America’s farmers, which makes it especially troubling when supply chain issues and delays escalate.

“Over the past two years, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated by global geopolitical rifts, supply chain efficiency has plummeted, with heavy disruptions across rail freight delivery,” Munch explained.

“This...