09.25.23

Hoeven, Cramer, Armstrong Announce Almost $12 Million for Improved Rail for New Soybean Crushing Plant, Regional Ag Products

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Congressman Kelly Armstrong today announced an almost $12 million federal grant to develop and construct safe and efficient freight rail service to help with expected growth from the new soybean crushing facility in Casselton.

The federal funding will enable Red River Valley and Western Railroad Company (RRVW) to develop, design, and construct track improvements to help accommodate the expected growth in carloads of agriculture products in the region. The grant will upgrade track between Casselton and Wahpeton to continuous welded rail to avoid either diverting soybeans on a more than hundred-mile detour or shipping soybeans by truck. The grant is being awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program.

“We continue working to grow our value-added agriculture economy in North Dakota,” said the delegation. “With the new soybean crushing plant in Casselton, we expect to see more than 10,000 new rail carloads per year of soybeans, soybean oil and soymeal on this rail line. This grant will help to transport these products, as well as other agriculture products in the region, more safely and efficiently. Improving the short line railroad network in our state is vitally important to moving our agriculture products safely and efficiently, while at the same time helping to grow our state’s economy.”

The delegation wrote a letter to the Department of Transportation to help secure the grant. Click here for the letter.

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