July 24, 2013
www.gfb.org
Vol. 31 No. 30
MAP-21 LAW PROVIDES EXPANDED CDL FARM EXEMPTION New federal highway funding legislation that went into effect on July 1 allows expanded exemptions for farmers transporting their own products, equipment or machinery. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) was signed into law on July 6, 2012, providing funding for surface transportation programs as well as changing criteria for requiring farmers to have commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). Under previous rules, farmers and farm helpers were exempted from the requirement to have a CDL if they operated within a 150 air-mile radius of their home farms and they were in their home state. MAP21 broadened the exemption to include the farmer’s home state and points in neighboring states within 150 air miles of the home farm. To take advantage of this exemption, a producer must carry a special tag or distinction on the vehicle. Georgia Farm Bureau has worked with the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) to make sure the acquisition of this tag is easy and free of charge. DPS has created a “Covered Farm Vehicle Designation” form (DPS TR0025) which can be accessed at http://gamccd.net/FarmVehicle.aspx . The form must be completed online, and the vehicle identification number (VIN) for the specific vehicle is required. Beginning January 1, 2014, no farm CDL exemptions are applicable without form TR0025 being in the vehicle. Additional information on the MAP-21 exemption for farm vehicles can be found at http://www.gfb.org/legislative/map21.html . In another ag-related transportation move, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on July 11 granted a 90-day waiver from the 30-minute rest break provisions under hours of service regulations for drivers transporting livestock. The 90-day period was requested out of concern over heat-related issues that can occur during livestock transit in the summer months. The FMCSA granted the waiver at the request of a number of agricultural stakeholder organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation. On June 19 the groups wrote to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro, pointing out that the rest break provisions run counter to livestock welfare requirements under the pork industry’s Transportation Quality Assistance (TQA) and the beef industry’s Master Cattle Transporter (MCT) programs while providing little if any measurable benefit to public safety. The groups emphasized that during hot weather, concerns about heat-related stress on livestock are compounded during stops because of reduced airflow. The 90-day waiver expires Oct. 9.