Officials coming to Fargo to hear rail delay concerns

The Surface Transportation Board will be in Fargo this week to hear how rail delays are affecting farmers.

Delays in moving grain to market cost Minnesota farmers more than $100 million.

Railroads are slowly catching up on grain shipments, said Dave Frederickson, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Right now he said he's more worried about rail delays creating a shortage of propane that's needed to dry corn crops.

"The demand is going to be really steep if we end up with an early frost. If we end up with a late frost everything is going to be just fine. We're going to have to see a significant amount of cars dedicated to moving liquid propane to meet those needs this fall and then on into the winter," Frederickson said.

Because a propane pipeline was shut down earlier this year, there will be more pressure on railroads to move adequate supplies of propane for farmers and home heating.