Agriculture exemption under attack in Washington

Officials of the Commercial Vehicle Alliance, a Washington trade association, have announced they will seek to repeal the agricultural exemption in the 2009 highway reauthorization bill.

The Trucker News Services

5/4/2009

POTOMAC, Md. — The Agricultural Education Group (AEG) has been formed with the mission of protecting and preserving the agricultural exemption to the federal Hours of Service rules for truck drivers as codified in federal law in 2005, according to David Schroyer, president of Schroyer, Inc., in Celina, Ohio.

Schroyer stated, "Congress was correct in enacting the agricultural exemption to the federal Hours of Service rules for truck drivers in 2005. It applies to only agricultural commodities transported within a 100-air mile radius from the point of harvest to the point of processing, and farm supplies during the planting and harvest seasons, as determined by each. It is critical that agriculture in the United States is able to depend on this exemption to move their commodities from farm to fork."

Fletcher R. Hall, chairman and CEO of F.R. Hall & Associates, a Washington public affairs firm said, "It is imperative that commercial transporters of agricultural commodities and farm supplies have the flexibility to transport efficiently during peak planting and harvesting seasons. The timely movement of all agricultural commodities is critical to America's food supply and export demands."

Hall, a past executive of the Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference and a consultant to the AEG, explained, "Congress legislated that in the Highway Reauthorization Bill of 2005, clarifying the definition of agricultural commodities and making the agricultural exemption permanent in federal law. This was vitally important to commercial agricultural transportation, American agriculture, and American consumers and exporters."

Officials of the Commercial Vehicle Alliance, a Washington trade association, have announced they will seek to repeal the agricultural exemption in the 2009 highway reauthorization bill.

"Retaining the agricultural exemption is reasonable and essential to American agriculture, commercial agricultural transportation, and to ensuring that Americans have access to a fresh and safe food supply," Hall concluded.

Barb Kampbell of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at barbkampbell@thetrucker.com.

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