Fertilizer company complains about railroad shipment limits

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A major fertilizer company says the limits Union Pacific is putting on rail traffic to clear up congestion will delay shipments that farmers rely on during the spring planting season. CF Industries said Thursday that the railroad had ordered it to cut its shipments nearly 20%. Union Pacific has said it is limiting rail traffic and hiring aggressively as part of a plan to improve service after grain and ethanol shippers complained about shortcomings. CF Industries CEO Tony Will said the shipment limits couldn’t come at a worse time for farmers. Federal regulators have announced plans to hold a hearing later this month about the service problems along U.S. railroads.