Alan Barrett is the Director of Research and Consulting for HIgby Barrett LLC. He is an accomplished commodity economist with more than 25 years of experience in futures and cash markets with a focus on cotton, commodity projects, non-traditional agricultural products, transportation and supply chain studies. Alan spent six years as a commodity futures broker. His expertise encompasses feasibility studies of oilseed crushing plants (soybean canola, and cottonseed), grain elevators, export elevators, shuttle elevators, grain container operations, flourmills and other processing facilities. Alan also has conducted transportation supply chain studies for grains, oilseeds, fertilizer, coal, natural gas, crude oil, and petroleum products. Alan has considerable experience in non-traditional agricultural products such as coal, coke, natural gas, chemicals, hydraulic fracturing fluid, hydraulic fracturing proppants, glycerin, fertilizer, micronutrients, salt, limestone, cement, iron ore, pig iron, and steel, especially feed ingredients. Mr. Barrett has a BS and MS in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tennessee.
Flooding Shows Value of U.S. Infrastructure
The Army Corps reported Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 15 Rock Island crested at 22.7 feet, a record high in the Quad Cities representing…
Mississippi River Flooding Impacts on Cash Basis is Currently Limited
The inland Mississippi River system plays a major role in transporting commodities, especially soybeans and corn. When comparing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Iowa…
Upper Mississippi River Closing Extended as Flooding Continues
Farmers and merchandisers located in areas at flood levels that needed to market crops in March and April have been harmed by the limitations placed…
Higher Truck Freight Rates in Brazil Spurring Investment
The Minimum Freight Rate Table (MFRT) established to end the Brazilian truckers’ strike in 2018 allows carriers to charge from 50 to 300 percent more…
Truck Capacity Availability Improving in 2019
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) estimates the U.S. has approximately 3.5 million Class 8 trucks (semi tractor-trailers) operating with over 5.7 million commercial drivers. More…
High Water Persists but Barge Rates Falling
The Mississippi River continues to have high water levels disrupting barge traffic. The opening of the upper Mississippi River for commercial traffic continues to be…
Brazilian Government Supports Higher Freight Rates
With Brazilian corn and soybean crops’ estimated crop size continually increasing, the importance of the Minimum Freight Rate Table (MFRT) also continues to rise. In…
El Niño has ‘Eerie Similarities’ to 2015
The U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) forecasts that there are 80 percent odds El Niño conditions will continue through spring and a 60 percent chance…
Key Brazilian Bridge Collapses
A portion of a bridge over the Moju River in the state of Para, Brazil collapsed in early April when it was hit by a…
Transportation Infrastrucuture Projects Improving the Environment
Transportation infrastructure projects reduce congestion and improve efficiency, which improves economic returns, reduces traffic related deaths, limits environmental impacts and reduces government expenditures. Often when…