Union Pacific (UP) has announced that its GroTrain service is now available to South Dakota farmers transporting inbound fertilizer and outbound crops. Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad (RCPE), which delivers directly to South Dakota farm producers, now interchanges trains directly with UP at its Mankato, Minn., rail yard. The service will allow a faster, more direct rail connection to key markets.
“Moving products to market quickly is critical to fertilizer and crop producers,” said Kari Kirchhoefer, Union Pacific vice president chemicals. “GroTrain is a cost-effective solution that streamlines rail service, expedites transit times and provides increased efficiencies they need.”
“We are committed to working with our Class I railroad partners to provide competitive transportation solutions,” remarked RCPE President Brad Ovitt. “The interchange at Mankato provides another effective gateway for South Dakota shippers to take advantage of business opportunities across Union Pacific’s network.”
The industry has an annual $25.6 billion economic impact in the state according to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture. Top products include sunflowers, oats, flaxseed, corn and wheat.