By Andi Anderson
Agricultural groups across the U.S. are expressing serious concerns over the significant impact of the ongoing port labor strike.
The strike involves the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing nearly 85,000 longshoremen and 40 ocean carriers across major U.S. ports, including the Atlantic, Gulf, and Great Lakes regions.
The strike poses a critical threat to agricultural exports, as U.S. ports handle over 70% of agricultural trade value. In 2023 alone, more than 143 million metric tons of agricultural products, valued at $122 billion, were exported via ocean ports.
According to American Farm Bureau economist Daniel Munch, the strike could disrupt $318 million in containerized agricultural exports each week, severely impacting the supply chain.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) have urged the Biden administration to intervene swiftly.
Dairy exports are particularly vulnerable, with over $32 million worth of dairy exports at risk per week. In 2023, U.S. ports facilitated the shipment of 530,000 units of dairy products, valued at $1.7 billion, through East and Gulf Coast ports.
Dairy industry leaders warn that delays caused by the strike could harm international relationships and jeopardize perishable products requiring timely delivery.
Both NMPF and USDEC are calling for immediate negotiations to end the strike and resume normal port operations before further damage is done to the agricultural and dairy sectors.
As U.S. agriculture depends heavily on reliable port operations to maintain its global market presence, industry stakeholders are emphasizing the urgent need for action to prevent further economic fallout.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-alexeyrumyantsev
Categories: Ohio, General