Exempting Farmers from Hours of Service Rules
With the mild winter this year, many farmers are starting to worry about how the dry winner will affect planting season. There is enough to worry about without new regulations from Washington.
My colleague and fellow farmer, Blaine Luetkemeyer, and I have in the past secured a federal waiver that ensured the timely delivery of farm supplies for the planting season.
This year, we have included that provision in the Highway bill. This language will make sure that bureaucrats do not misinterpret the rule. Currently, under the Agriculture Hours of Service exemption, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration only allows for the transportation of a single farm supply – anhydrous ammonia – from any distribution point to a local farm retailer or to the ultimate consumer.
While anhydrous ammonia is perhaps the most widely used farm supply to be transported under the AgHOS regulations, many other critical farm supplies have been excluded because of the agency's interpretation. This severely hinders the flexibility our farmers need during planting and harvesting seasons.
Our language would clarify the law once and for all. Transporting farm supplies from source to retail, source to farm, and retail to farm would be included under the AgHOS exemption. The agriculture industry and farmers have enough to worry about without adding more excessive regulations from Washington on top of it.
Agriculture is the backbone of our economy, and I will continue to work with our farmers to ensure they are able to grow the safest, most abundant food supply in the world.
Sincerely,
