U.S. Wheat Exports Depend on Rail Transportation

Historically, the United States exports about half the wheat it produces, but those exports have declined in recent years. The U.S. share of the global wheat market is expected to shrink from an average of 24 percent over the trade years 2000/01 to 2009/10 (July–June) to 10 percent in 2022/23. That decline is attributable to several factors. U.S. wheat production has fallen as farmers have shifted farmland into crops that are more profitable and ongoing drought has reduced yields of hard red winter wheat (HRW), the largest class of U.S. wheat. In addition, key competitors, including Russia, have become more active in the global marketplace, providing buyers with alternate sources. Finally, U.S. rail transportation issues have made it difficult and more expensive to get wheat to ports for export overseas or to neighboring trade partners such as Mexico.