NGFA comments on US East and Gulf Coast port labour deal

(Posted on 10/01/25)

The International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. have released a joint statement announcing an agreement on a new six-year labour contract. The agreement must be ratified by both sides, but the tentative deal averts a potential strike that threatened to shut down East and Gulf Coast ports next week.

Mike Seyfert, the President and CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), released the following statement about the agreement.

“Both sides should be commended for sitting down and working out a compromise that benefits the dockworkers and their employers alike, and we are hopeful that this deal will be ratified and made official quickly. It is a relief that these vital ports will continue to operate and that shipping channels will remain open for U.S. agriculture. America’s grain and feed industry depends on a fully functioning transportation system, and when any part fails, it can drive up transportation costs and jeopardize valuable customer relationships. Given current economic conditions, we simply cannot afford disruptions.”

NAGFA, founded in 1896, is a broad-based, non-profit trade association that represents and provides services for grain, feed and related commercial businesses. Its activities focus on enhancing the growth and economic performance of U.S. agriculture.

Member firms consist of more than 800 companies comprising thousands of facilities and handle most U.S. grains and oilseeds utilised in domestic and export markets. They encompass all sectors of the industry and represent a balance of small and large companies, including both privately owned and cooperative firms.