This agreement supports the secretary's priority of promoting economic development in rural america and USDA's statutory obligation of representing the interests of agricultural producers and shippers…

The Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Departmental Management Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization awarded a $100,000 Cooperative Agreement to North Dakota State University on September 30, 2025, under the Agricultural and Food Policy Research Centers program (CFDA 10.291).

North Dakota State University will evaluate the impacts of a major Class I rail merger on the agricultural industry, conduct alternate scenario analysis examining how benefits and costs change if additional railroads merge, identify agricultural market segments at risk from a potential merger, and develop guidelines to inform the Surface Transportation Board on potential mergers to protect the interests of agricultural shippers and exporters. The university will document project findings in a public report that USDA will submit as evidence during the Surface Transportation Board's open comment period on the merger.

The period of performance runs through September 30, 2026, with place of performance in North Dakota. This award supports USDA's statutory obligation to represent the interests of agricultural producers and shippers in improving transportation services and facilities, and aligns with the Secretary's priority of promoting economic development in rural America.

This agreement supports the secretary's priority of promoting economic development in rural america and USDA's statutory obligation of representing the interests of agricultural producers and shippers in improving transportation services and facilities by evaluating the potential impacts of a rail merger to U.S. Agriculture and informing USDA's submission on any future merger proceedings with the surface transportation board (STB). The project will evaluate the impacts from a major class i rail merger on the agricultural industry; conduct an alternate scenario analysis by examining how benefits and costs change if additional railroads merge; identify agricultural market segments at risk from a potential merger; and develop guidelines to inform STB on potential mergers to protect the interests of agricultural shippers and exporters during the merger process. Project findings will be documented in a public report that will be used by USDA to submit evidence for the record during STB's open comment period on the merger, as well as in STB's merger proceeding.