NGFA supports HAULS Act to provide regulatory relief for ag truckers

ARLINGTON, Va., March 18, 2021 – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today commended lawmakers for their introduction of the Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety (HAULS) Act of 2021, which would provide much-needed regulatory relief for agricultural truckers.

Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., re-introduced the HAULS Act – a bill based on legislation first introduced in 2020 – that includes updates to the agricultural exemption to the hours-of-service (HOS) rules.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s HOS requirements limit the time a commercial motor vehicle driver may be on duty and driving. Since its inception in 1995, the agricultural exemption to HOS rules has been vitally important to the food and agriculture industry, helping to ensure a more efficient and cost-effective freight transportation distribution system.

“The HAULS Act makes incremental, but crucial, changes that would help accommodate the seasonal spikes in transportation of food, fiber and other agricultural supplies that ensure our country stays healthy and fed,” said NGFA Vice President of Economics and Government Relations Max Fisher. “This legislation, supported by more than 100 agricultural and livestock organizations, ensures haulers have the flexibility they need to deliver perishable products.”

The HAULS Act would:
• Ensure HOS exemptions are available in all states year-round;
• Add a 150 air-mile exemption to accommodate slower driving on rural roads; and
• Clarify the definition of an “agricultural commodity” to provide regulatory certainty for ag haulers.

NGFA members and other supporters of the HAULS Act can advocate for congressional support of the legislation here.

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NGFA, established in 1896, consists of more than 1,000 grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 7,000 facilities and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed and processing industry. NGFA also consists of 33 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, and NGFA is co-located and has a strategic alliance with North American Export Grain Association, and a strategic alliance with Pet Food Institute.