Logistics for Agriculture

This story is part of the 2024–2025 CSANR Biennial Report.

Growing up in Saudi Arabia’s Qassim region, Hanouf developed an appreciation for agriculture, which plays a vital role in the local economy and cultural identity. This connection shaped her interest in the systems that move agricultural products from producers to markets.

“Improving the efficiency of transporting agricultural commodities has a direct impact on reducing environmental burdens, supporting rural producers, and strengthening food systems,” she said.

At WSU, Hanouf has analyzed over 1.5 million records of agricultural truck shipments from 2017 to 2023 collected from Bulkloads.com. Working with the Transportation Research Group (TRG), she examined regional and seasonal variations in bulk trucking rates, identifying key cost drivers like fuel and labor.

Her findings show that these costs show strong persistence over time, creating long-term pricing pressures on producers, particularly those with already narrow margins in dryland regions. Transportation costs often make up the largest post-farm cost for high-volume crops.

In a related project, Hanouf has worked with the TRG to develop a U.S. Port Performance Index to evaluate how efficiently ports operate. This index offers more granularity and timeliness than existing Bureau of Transportation Statistics metrics, covering over 70 ports monthly rather than 25 ports annually. It tracks performance indicators for both agricultural and non-agricultural trade flows.

“Enhancing the movement of food and essential goods is not only economically important but also a contribution to global sustainability,” Hanouf explained.

The Lawrence Hickman Fellowship supports Hanouf’s dissertation and her efforts to link transportation policy with agricultural sustainability. After completing her PhD, she plans to return to Saudi Arabia to contribute to infrastructure and sustainability, particularly in agriculture and logistics.

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