New Bill Would Better Define Agricultural Goods

A recently reintroduced law would better define which “agricultural goods” would be exempt from the federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulations and electronic logging devices (ELDs) mandate.

According to reports, the Agricultural Trucking Relief Act, reintroduced by Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia, will clarify the definition of an “agricultural good.” Truckers carrying these commodities are exempt from HOS and ELDs regulations. According to current Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, horticultural products like sod, turf grass, algae and aquatic plants are considered agriculture goods. However, they are not considered so by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and truckers that haul them are not exempt from HOS and ELDs. The new bill would clarify situations like this and allow more truckers to claim an exemption.

The bill is supported by several organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. It is co-sponsored by Reps. Neal Dunn and Al Lawson of Florida and Kurt Schrader of Oregon.