Kevin Brinkley discusses the advantages of transporting cotton by rail versus trucks.
Monday, April 5, 2021, the first shipment of U.S. cotton bales was loaded into containers at Plains Cotton Cooperative Association's (PCCA) new rail facility in Altus, Okla., en route for Southeast Asia.
"Every train has just under 20,000 bales of cotton on it," said PCCA CEO and President Kevin Brinkley. "That schedule will vary throughout the year, depending on what sales have been made. But every one of those trains has got 20,000 bales headed for somewhere in Asia."
PCCA's transportation expansion benefits its grower-owners. "The bottom line is we're building access to major ports, and therefore, major export markets, by having a rail located here in Altus."