MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Some Wisconsin businesses are concerned about delays in shipping as railroads divert cars to serve Canada’s grain farmers and North Dakota’s oil industry. Ben Brancel, secretary of the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection tells the Wisconsin State Journal that the bottom line of many of the state’s companies are being affected by a shortage in rail cars and train crews. The demand for shipping via rail has skyrocketed in recent years due to an increase in hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. The owner of Minong-based Ericson Logging and Trucking estimates about 10 percent of his income last year was cut due to poor rail service. The president and CEO of the Cooperative Network says propane and coal deliveries are already behind schedule, which may cause prices to skyrocket again this winter.
