With a state budget being debated, increased funding for public ports would be a shot in the arm for farm families and rural communities.

STURGIS, Ky. - As Kentucky has seen exponential growth in its grain-producing sector, farm families are continually looking at the issue of grain storage, especially during harvest season.

For many, even with adequate on-farm storage, they still don’t have enough capacity at certain times of the year. One helpful solution for many has been found at Kentucky’s riverports many of which have onsite storage facilities.

Dustin White and his family raise corn, soybeans, and wheat, in Union County, an area with proximity to some of the Ohio River port facilities.

“The riverports here are vitally important to our operation,” he said. “There are two grain elevators in ports on the Ohio River that are 20 minutes or less away and we also have two more that are less than an hour away. So, it gives us a lot of options to go to different places.”

That is a huge advantage for a farm that sends about 95 percent of its grain to the riverports. 

"We hold about a million bushels of corn and about 300,000 bushels of soybeans in our grain bins on the farm but it’s not enough and we end up taking a significant amount to the riverports more during the fall harvest.”

While White said they often dry and condition the grain in their bins, they sometimes take it straight from the field to the grain storage facilities at the ports. 

“Being able to unload fast, and get right back to the field, in the fall, it sure helps with a speedy and timely harvest, and enables us to keep going when the weather's good,” he said.

Occasionally, however, the grain bins located at some of the riverports are full creating a need for expanded storage and updated infrastructure needs.

During the 2023 Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) Annual Meeting, board members adopted priorities for the year, one of which is the support of increased funding for Kentucky riverports to upgrade their agricultural infrastructure.

And while these riverports are not on life-support, a shot in the arm could certainly be advantageous to farm families and the state’s ag industry.

KFB President Eddie Melton said these riverports are critical in getting crops to markets in this country and around the world which keeps them sustainable for the future.

“The riverports and the waterway system are a valuable asset we have in Kentucky not only to get our products to markets everywhere but to bring inputs to the farm,” he said. “Many of our farm families depend on the facilities at our riverports as part of their operations. If we are expected to keep our farms in business we need to do all we can to ensure that happens.” 

It being a budget year during the current General Assembly session, KFB has advocated for increased funding for the riverport system.

KFB Director of Public Affairs Kyle Kelly said having a legislative body whose members are friendly to ag issues is an advantage in getting support for these vital ports.

“Most of our General Assembly members have strong connections to rural Kentucky and have been mostly receptive to our advocacy efforts,” he said. “This is as much of an economic development issue, as well as something related to agriculture.”

Bob McIndoo is a corn and soybean producer from Henderson, Kentucky, as well as the chairman of the Henderson Economic Board. He said being able to utilize barges on the river is a very economical way to move his grain.  

“In large part, our soybeans and corn both will be barged out and with really strong commodity markets here in our county, partially because of (a Tyson plant) and because we have such a presence here on the Ohio River,” he said. “We are able to utilize those barges, which is a very cheap form of transportation.”

McIndoo added that he thinks most people don't have any idea of the value that that river brings to the community.

“When you can tie a bunch of barges together and they hold about 50,000 bushels, you can move a lot of grain up and down that river,” he said. “And we're fortunate to have Ohio which connects right to the Mississippi and these barges just head down south to the ports in New Orleans.”

Increasing funding to the riverport system is something that would not only be a big advantage for farmers but for community commerce in general.

“I think any kind of support that can pitch in money to riverports or anything along the river, it increases commerce immensely, not just to agriculture, but a lot of things,” he said. “It opens up your community for economic development.”

White sums up the situation simply by saying the riverports are a part of their farm they can’t do without.

“That’s not only on the grain side; unloading the grain, and loading on barges, and the elevators, but we also get bulk dry fertilizer, liquid fertilizer, and with the river ports being close, that really helps us to lower our cost,” he said. “We are blessed to be right here in a good location close to the riverports.”