Louisiana port receives $4 million federal grant for grain facility

Key facts

• The Port of Avoyelles will receive $4 million in federal funding for a new grain transfer facility.
• The facility will be located in Simmesport, Louisiana.
• The project aims to improve farmers' access to markets and support the agricultural economy.

The Port of Avoyelles in Simmesport, Louisiana, has received a $4 million federal grant to construct a new multimodal truck-to-barge grain transfer facility. The funding, listed in the U.S. Maritime Administration’s 2026 Port Infrastructure Development Program, was announced by State Representative Daryl Deshotel. The facility will include a truck receiving station with certified scales, an enclosed conveyor, and a loading tower to transfer grain onto barges. It will also feature equipment for dust control, mooring piles, and a powered winch system. Deshotel stated the project will enhance farmers' efficiency in getting crops to market, bolster the local agricultural economy, and potentially create jobs.