LUBBOCK, TX – New rail investments and facility upgrades across the U.S. grain system underscore shifting export flows, fertilizer logistics, and regional handling capacity.
A report from GTR highlights that BNSF Railway set a new corn volume record in 2025, surpassing its 2018 benchmark as Pacific Northwest exports surged. Corn export inspections from PNW terminals reached 24.2 million metric tons, up 128 percent from the prior five-year average. Slower soybean demand, tied to U.S.-China trade negotiations, redirected shipments toward the Texas Gulf, where inspections reached 1.2 million metric tons in October and November.
Infrastructure expansion continued across the network. BNSF opened new grain and fertilizer facilities in Wisconsin and Kansas and a renewable fuels site in California. Meanwhile, CHS Inc. completed upgrades at its Galveston fertilizer terminal, tripling railcar loading speeds and expanding cargo flexibility despite lower fertilizer import volumes in 2025.
In Iowa, Heartland Cooperative launched a new 5.5-million-bushel shuttle-loading elevator on Union Pacific Railroad lines, strengthening grain origination capacity in south-central regions where infrastructure has historically lagged.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Rail upgrades signal continued export-driven demand for logistics.