24 Mar Governor’s Executive Order Does Apply to Agriculture Products
Governor’s Executive Order Does Apply to Agriculture Products
However, be ready to answer some questions about your load
Governor Laura Kelly’s Executive Order 20-09 (view by clicking the button below or HERE) allows a 10% weight waiver for motor carriers of essential services and food supplies. For our members’ clarification of the Executive Order, we requested clarification from the Kansas Highway Patrol if the waiver applies to the following:
- transport of agricultural crop inputs (seed/pesticide/fertilizer/diesel) from import/manufacturer to the end user/farmer
- transport of grain from farm to elevator
- transport of grain from commercial elevator to end user (i.e., feed yards, feed mills, biofuel plants, export market, etc.)
- transport of ethanol and biodiesel from processing plant to market
Your association stated to the Kansas Highway Patrol that our industry will continue to work through the pandemic to ensure that our citizens have access to essential food supplies and fuel. Allowing this 10% weight waiver will become critically important as our industry – already short on commercial drivers – loses additional drivers during the pandemic.
The Kansas Highway Patrol stated that the waiver does apply to our industry, our members should be able to answer the following questions:
- Does this particular trip contribute to the immediate restoration of essential services or supplies related to issues caused by the COVID 19 pandemic as required by the declaration, or is it business as usual for your company?
- If I am stopped for inspection, or if my company is subject to a later compliance investigation, will I be able to support my decision to utilize the declaration to the inspector, trooper or safety investigator? While not required by the terms of the declaration any documentation, it would benefit you to have some form of documentation supporting your use of the weight waiver.
- Am I making an honest assessment of the situation as to the benefits and risks for my fellow citizens on my use of the declaration?
Please contact us (785.234.0463) if you have any questions.