SPOTLIGHT TOPIC UPDATE - Agricultural Products slide image

SPOTLIGHT TOPIC UPDATE - Agricultural Products

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward- Looking Statements and Information Statements made in this presentation relating to the Company's future economic performance or business outlook, projections or expectations of financial or operational results, or statements that refer to matters that are not historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Similarly, statements that describe the Company's objectives, expectations, plans or goals are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and actual performance or results may differ materially. For a discussion of material risks and uncertainties that the Company faces, see the discussion in Part I, Item 1A, of the Company's Form 10-K. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the following: • Economic and industry conditions: material adverse changes in economic or industry conditions, both in the United States and globally; volatility in the capital or credit markets including changes affecting the timely availability and cost of capital; changes in customer demand; effects of adverse economic conditions affecting shippers or BNSF's supplier base; effects due to more stringent regulatory policies such as the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions that could reduce the demand for coal or governmental tariffs or subsidies that could affect the demand for grain; the impact of low natural gas or oil prices on energy-related commodities demand; changes in environmental laws and other laws and regulations that could affect the demand for drilling products and products produced by drilling; changes in fuel prices and other key materials, the impact of high barriers to entry for prospective new suppliers and disruptions in supply chains for these materials; competition and consolidation within the transportation industry; and changes in crew availability, labor and benefits costs and labor difficulties, including stoppages affecting either BNSF's operations or customers' abilities to deliver goods to BNSF for shipment; • Legal, legislative and regulatory factors: developments and changes in laws and regulations, including those affecting train operations, the marketing of services or regulatory restrictions on equipment; the ultimate outcome of shipper and rate claims subject to adjudication; claims, investigations or litigation alleging violations of the antitrust laws; increased economic regulation of the rail industry through legislative action and revised rules and standards applied by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board in various areas including rates and services; developments in environmental investigations or proceedings with respect to rail operations or current or past ownership or control of real property or properties owned by others impacted by BNSF operations; losses resulting from claims and litigation relating to personal injuries, asbestos and other occupational diseases; the release of hazardous materials, environmental contamination and damage to property; regulation, restrictions or caps, or other controls on transportation of petroleum-based fuel or other operating restrictions that could affect operations or increase costs; the availability of adequate insurance to cover the risks associated with operations; and changes in tax rates and tax laws; and Operating factors: changes in operating conditions and costs; operational and other difficulties in implementing positive train control technology, including increased compliance or operational costs or penalties; restrictions on development and expansion plans due to environmental concerns; disruptions to BNSF's technology network including computer systems and software, such as cybersecurity intrusions, misappropriation of assets or sensitive information, corruption of data or operational disruptions; network congestion, including effects of greater than anticipated demand for transportation services and equipment; as well as natural events such as severe weather, fires, floods and earthquakes or man-made or other disruptions of BNSF Railway's or other railroads' operating systems, structures, or equipment including the effects of acts of terrorism on the Company's system or other railroads' systems or other links in the transportation chain. We caution against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect our current beliefs and are based on information currently available to us as of the date a forward-looking statement is made. We undertake no obligation to revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs. In the event that we do update any forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statements. BNSF 3
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