The Cambria County Farm Bureau echoes the opposition of our parent organization, the American Farm Bureau Federation, to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern mega merger: farmers will bear the costs if this goes through.

My Brother Rick and I are sixth-generation beef cattle and grain farmers. The homestead has been in my family since 1839, so I understand the risks this merger poses to families across the state. Getting crops from Pennsylvania farms to market depends on a freight rail system that farmers can count on and afford. More than 5,000 miles of track move tens of millions of tons of agricultural products each year, and that system works best when competition gives farmers the ability to negotiate fair rates.

The rail companies’ first application lacked a lot of important information, which resulted in the Surface Transportation Board (STB) rejecting it. Unfortunately, their refiled application is much of the same — a lot of questions, too few answers.

Pennsylvania’s agricultural economy depends on a competitive and dependable rail system, so we can’t afford to roll the dice and hope things work out. We need to be guaranteed that competition and service reliability will be protected. The STB must ensure any decision strengthens that system and does not leave farmers with fewer options and higher costs.

Martin Yahner,

Cambria County Farm Bureau president

Patton