US longshoreman reached a contract agreement with ports and shippers earlier this month, averting a potential strike that could have damaged the American economy and hurt agriculture. Mike Steenhoek is executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition and says he’s pleased to see the agreement.

“One of the realities that I try to underscore as it relates to supply chains is that it’s better to have a predictably good supply chain than a sporadically great supply chain. You have a lot of industries like agriculture and others that in order to be successful, you’ve got to have that predictability and reliability. You know, you’re sending products halfway around the world. It doesn’t do you a whole lot of good if the supply chain is operating exceptionally on day one and it comes to a standstill on day two, you’d rather have just predictably good.”

In a joint statement, the two sides said the agreement protects union jobs and allows ports on the east and Gulf coasts to modernize with new technology. While an agreement has been carved out between leaders, ratification by the rank and file is the next step.

“We expect that to occur, and so fortunately, that’s one less question mark that is a part of our global supply chain. We’ve got a number of challenges as it relates to agriculture, being able to export to other countries around the world. And if that’s the reality, which it is, all the more reason to make sure that your supply chain is operating as efficiently and reliably as possible. So clearly, good news.”

But how long will that take? Steenhoek says it’s a process.

“We expect to see, you know, over, I think over the next month, we will see that fully completed. I mean it, you know, it takes some time to have the various members vote on it. So, and that’s when we see the actual details of the agreement. You know, they’re keeping it confidential until the membership, the full membership of both sides, actually ratifies the agreement. So we’ll, we’ll learn a whole lot more once that ratification occurs.”