Annual Ohio River Lock Tour Offers Farmers Insight on River Transportation

Ohio_River_Barge_TourHoosier farmers will have an opportunity to experience first-hand how their grain makes its way down the Ohio River on the sixth annual Ohio River Lock Tour on Friday, September 6.

The Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) membership and policy committee are coordinating the free educational tour again this summer.

The tour will depart from Warsaw City Park on Locust Street in Warsaw, KY 41095.  Registration starts at 8 a.m. EST, with the boat leaving the dock promptly at 9 a.m. EST. The river tour will end at noon, followed by lunch in the Warsaw City Park.

“Traveling on the river through a lock and dam system is a unique opportunity for farmers to learn more about how the grain they grow is handled after it leaves their farms,” said Joe Steinkamp, chair of ISA’s membership and policy committee and farmer from Evansville, Ind. “The tour will highlight the importance of the waterway transportation system to Indiana’s agricultural industry, society, and economy.”

While on the tour, participants will experience the mechanics of river transportation; hear local business owners explain how they use the river; and discover some history of the area.

The tour is organized by the membership of ISA and ICGA and is sponsored by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Soybean Alliance (soybean checkoff), Kentucky Soybean Board, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, Ohio Soybean Council, Farm Credit Mid-America, and DuPont Pioneer.

“Our sponsors are allowing us to provide farmers this opportunity free of charge,” said Herb Ringel, ICGA president and farmer from Wabash, Ind. “We want farmers to see and support the work we, as their policy representatives, do on their behalf in educating our stakeholders on the importance of our river system to American agriculture.”

Lunch is included in the river tour, but space is limited to the first 175 participants. Registration can be completed online at www.indianasoybean.com/rivertour and preregistration is required.

Interested participants should be aware that boarding a boat may be rather rigorous and could be difficult for individuals with mobility problems or disabilities. All participants must be 16 years of age or older. No open-toe shoes or heels are permitted on the tour.

Source: ICGA and ISA

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