Dennis Wilmsmeyer, executive director of America's Central Port in the St. Louis region on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. While he's about 4.5 hours south of Wisconsin, he says grain from Up North gets to his port in a variety of different ways, which is why he says infrastructure along the river is vital to agriculture.

No matter what the administration looks like after November, the people working in America's waterways are looking to keep rivers resilient. Wilmsmeyer wants to see continued funding for dredging.

With high water, you don't think about needing to dredge the bottom of the river because you're not worried about hitting the bottom. But high water washes in silt, sediment and debris. That debris will deposit in spots in the river system, which could clog the country's major artery of transportation.

In both Wisconsin and at the national level, the agricultural community has discussed foreign ownership of land and the potential food and national security impacts of foreign-owned farmland. It's a similar story for our nation's ports.

Wilmsmeyer says this is currently at the forefront of his mind as the industry questions why a Chinese company recently purchased a grain terminal in St. Louis along the Mississippi River.

Dennis Wilmsmeyer, executive director of America's Central Port in the St. Louis region on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. While he's about 4.5 hours south of Wisconsin, he says grain from Up North gets to his port in a variety of different ways, which is why he says infrastructure along the river is vital to agriculture.
No matter what the administration looks like after November, the people working in America's waterways are looking to keep rivers resilient. Wilmsmeyer wants to see continued funding for dredging.
With high water, you don't think about needing to dredge the bottom of the river because you're not worried about hitting the bottom. But high water washes in silt, sediment and debris. That debris will deposit in spots in the river system, which could clog the country's major artery of transportation.
In both Wisconsin and at the national level, the agricultural community has discussed foreign ownership of land and the potential food and national security impacts of foreign-owned farmland. It's a similar story for our nation's ports.
Wilmsmeyer says this is currently at the forefront of his mind as the industry questions why a Chinese company recently purchased a grain terminal in St. Louis along the Mississippi River.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

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