The largest railroad company serving North Dakota will devote unit trains and crews to deliver fertilizer ahead of the spring planting season, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said this morning.
Hoeven spoke with Matt Rose, BNSF executive chairman, over the weekend "to urge the railroad to do everything it can to ensure timely delivery of fertilizer for spring planting," according to a news release. Farmers have been dealing with months-long delays for rail cars, as more trains are being devoted to moving crude oil out of the Bakken oil region.
Hoeven said BNSF will assign unit trains -- trains dedicated to a single commodity -- to move fertilizer to customers more quickly. That will allow cars to arrive at their destinations without being uncoupled and reassigned beforehand.
Hoeven added that BNSF will assign more crews to move the unit trains, and work with customers to load and unload cars quickly.
"Getting seed and fertilizer into the ground at the right time is critical to a good harvest," Hoeven said.
