ARLINGTON, Va. — It’s no secret that the U.S. is struggling with serious supply chain challenges. But there’s cause for optimism, experts say — innovations that could improve agricultural supply chains long-term are on the horizon.

On Feb. 15, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, or NASDA, hosted an “agricultural supply chain” panel discussion at its winter 2022 policy conference featuring leaders of ports, freight networks and similar organizations. These leaders said that while there aren’t many immediate solutions, longer-term innovations that are underway offer hope.

“There’s room for optimism, especially in infrastructure,” said Lowell Randel, senior vice president of government and legal affairs for the Global Cold Chain Alliance.

Federal dollars — in part through the infrastructure package passed last year — are on the way to cities nationwide, which experts say could bolster shipping infrastructure.

But simply having money is not enough to guarantee success, said Alice Ancona, senior vice president and chief operating officer of the World Trade Center Miami.

One problem with the infrastructure bill, panelists said, is that it doesn’t explicitly include funding for truck parking or truck stops with amenities — infrastructure that Ancona said is critical.

Since federal and state funding hasn’t made truck parking a priority, Ancona has taken matters into her own hands. When Miami recently received funding to create a parking station for passenger use only, Ancona worked with officials and industry leaders to tweak the project so half of the parking lot could be for passenger vehicles, the other half for trucks.

Florida has also been serving as a testing ground for autonomous trucks, said Ancona. A self-driving semi-truck successfully drove along the Interstate 10 in a December trial.

“It went well,” she said.

However, Ancona acknowledged that while it may be easy to deploy automated trucks in Florida — a flat, warm state — crossing into other states could prove difficult.

John Eisen, director of the intermodal motor carriers conference at American Trucking Associations, agreed that driverless semi-trucks are in the industry’s future, but not for a while.

“It’s coming. I just think it’s going to take probably longer,” said Eisen.

Eisen said he thinks technology will play a major role in improving trucking overall.

Jim Titsworth, general director of agriculture for BNSF Railway, the largest freight railroad network in North America, agreed that technology is transforming supply chains.

“We’re seeing tremendous leaps,” said Titsworth.

Titsworth said railroad industries are expanding automation and designing locomotives capable of running on natural gas and other diesel alternatives.

Changes may also be on the horizon for ports.

James McCurry, chief administrative officer for Georgia Ports Authority, said ports have been innovating by creating “pop-up yards” offsite to relieve congestion.

Before installing pop-up yards, McCurry said containers that pre-pandemic would stack up at the Port of Savannah for only 2 to 3 days were backlogged 6 to 14 days. The port set up three pop-up yards to stack containers: two at railroad facilities, one at an airport.

Using these facilities, McCurry said, has eased congestion.

The panelists all reiterated that while there are no easy solutions to supply chain issues, positive innovations are on the way.