Today’s quick hits, Oct. 11, 2022

Mississippi River open again: A backup of 2,000 towboats and barges due to low water levels was being cleared after the reopening of sections of the river near Memphis and Stack Island, Mississippi, said the Coast Guard. (Bloomberg)

Rail union rejects contract: Members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees union defeated a proposed national contract with U.S. freight railroads, meaning a new round of negotiations is needed. (BMWED)

D-SNAP approved for Floridians: Low-income Floridians affected by Hurricane Ian may be eligible for one month of SNAP assistance for purchasing food at grocery stores or select retailers online. (USDA)

Food index declines again: The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks international prices for a basket of food commodities, fell for the sixth month in a row, led by a 6.6-percent drop in vegetable oil prices; the index was 5.5 percent higher than one year ago. (Food and Agriculture Organization)

Slaughterhouse ban on ballot: The South Dakota Soybean Association contributed $125,000 to a campaign against a ban on new slaughterhouses in Sioux Falls; the ban was proposed after Wholestone Farms said it would build a pork processing plant in the city. (Mitchell Republic)