Shipping conditions on the Mississippi River are driving down the price farmers are getting for their corn.
Low water means fewer barges are allowed on the river, and the barges that are allowed don't have nearly the same amount of grain and other materials in them. Rodney Weinzierl is president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association. He says grain elevators can't take corn off farmers' hands now which compounds the problem.
Barge tows that normally draw 12 feet are now being light-loaded to draw eight feet, and the tows, typically 18 barges, are now down to 15 because of the low level between East St. Louis and Cairo. Weinzierl says unless navigation on the Mississippi River improves, farmers may not have access to fertilizer for spring 2013 planting.