The farmlands of Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa are famously flat. But mountains have been cropping up there this fall--golden mountains of grain. Instead of being stored away or shipped to other parts of the country, much of this year's harvest is piling up on the ground.
Why? For starters, farmers are harvesting record crops of wheat, corn and soybeans. Normally, these crops travel across the country by railroad to major cities and seaports.
But this year there were not enough railroad cars to carry the harvest. Many are blaming the shortage on the Union Pacific Railroad. Union Pacific joined with another train company last year, and has suffered growing pains ever since. One result: heavy delivery delays to foreign countries.
Farmers fear they'll lose millions in sales if the grain rots on the ground. Union Pacific is scrambling to get it rolling.