Two bills asking to ease diesel-fuel hauling restrictions are now before Congress, thanks to U.S. Custom Harvesters, Inc. (USCHI).
The bills, H.R. 2429 and S. 1288, request an exemption that would allow a custom harvester or other ag-related business to transport up to 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel without having to obtain a Hazardous Materials endorsement (HazMat). Currently, a custom operator with a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) can move only 119 gallons without a HazMat while a farmer can haul up to 502 gallons at a time.
“We need to get all producers, custom harvesters and other ag people who this issue affects to contact their representatives and their senators and ask them to co-sponsor the bills,” says Tracy Zeorian, USCHI president.
She offers growers and others in the ag industry the use of the letter USCHI members are urged to send for support. "It refers to the custom harvesting community alone – if producers were going to use it, they would want to tweak it.”
Two versions of the letter can be found at Senate Version and House Version.
For help in identifying Congressional members and getting their contact information, visit Write Your Representative or Senators of the 112th Congress.