The Hill News

Like any business, Minnesota farmers and utilities have a wide range of costs they have to manage in order to be successful. From seed and fertilizer to labor and equipment, getting a fair price can mean the difference between profit and loss. But a decision currently being considered in Washington could result in an unfair hike in the costs our farmers and other businesses face for shipping their goods to market, and each of us would get stuck with the bill.

Let me explain. In 2010, the hugely successful investment fund Berkshire Hathaway purchased Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad (BNSF). As part of that multi-billion dollar deal, Berkshire Hathaway agreed to pay a so-called “acquisition premium” of $8.1 billion above the railroad’s fair market value.

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