(NAFB) – The House passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act to try and solve some of the challenges in the U.S. supply chain.

In recent months, ocean liners from China and other countries have been returning to their home ports empty after delivering to the U.S., making it hard for U.S. agriculture to export commodities. Among the many functions of the legislation, it would prohibit ocean carriers from unreasonably declining opportunities, as determined by the Federal Maritime Commission in new required federal rulemaking. The U.S. Dairy Export Council, the National Milk Producers Federation, and other ag groups supported the bill.

“This legislation would help alleviate delays and disruptions at U.S. ports that have cost the U.S. dairy industry well over $1 billion this year,” says the dairy groups. “Since late 2020, America’s dairy exporters have contended with challenges in securing shipping containers, record-high fees, and shipping access volatility, most of which is driven by foreign-owned carriers.”