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North Dakota shippers warned merger could cut competition, reduce market access

Interim Agriculture and Water Management Committee · November 13, 2025
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

A BNSF public-affairs representative told the Interim Agriculture and Water Management Committee a proposed merger of major freight railroads could eliminate interline lanes, increase market concentration to about 45% and raise costs for agricultural shippers; she urged local stakeholders to engage the Surface Transportation Board review.

Amy McBeth, public affairs representative for BNSF, briefed the Interim Agriculture and Water Management Committee on a proposed merger of two Class I U.S. railroads and its likely effects on national freight competition and North Dakota shippers.

McBeth said the transaction would combine a western carrier with an eastern carrier and "would control almost half of the nation's, freight rail market, a 45% market share." She told the committee the Surface Transportation Board (STB) must…

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