The condition of United States multimodal facilities on local, state, and national levels is critical to regional economies including MAASTO states agricultural products which compete in the global market. Sales of U.S. agricultural products have remained competitive on a global scale due to historic advantages in transportation costs and efficiency. While transportation funding in the U.S. is struggling to keep up with growing demand, Brazil is rapidly investing in its national rail and marine systems to support agricultural exports. According to a recent report and corresponding USDA news release, “U.S. agricultural exports benefit the U.S. balance of trade and compete for market share in the global market. Brazil is one of the most important U.S. competitors in the world oilseeds market. Brazil’s competitiveness in the world market depends largely on its transportation infrastructure and cost” (ams.usda.gov). A summary of the recent report is available at the following link: Brazil Modal Share Analysis for Corn and Soybeans 2010-19.