(NAFB) – The soybean checkoff plans to fund pre-engineering and design work to enhance and maintain Lock and Dam #25 on the Upper Mississippi River. .

The United Soybean Board calls the facility a U.S. infrastructure asset critical for efficient barge traffic. The move is an effort to ensure continued and reliable delivery of U.S. soybean exports to customers around the world.

USB farmer-leader Meagan Kaiser of Missouri says, “It’s vital that our supply chain remain strong and reliable so we can continue to market our products.”

If approved for federal funding, the project would be the first under the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program, a long-term program authorized by Congress to improve and restore the Upper Mississippi River System. Primary opportunities of improvement include reducing commercial traffic delays while restoring, protecting and enhancing the environment.

Lock and Dam #25 is one of seven existing locks specified by the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program for improvements.