The long harvest has precipitated a harvest emergency declaration in neighboring Illinois. Farmers in Illinois can move more grain in every truckload for the next 45 days. The state has made the declaration for the first time ever because rain has slowed the fall harvest. Governor Bruce Rauner made the announcement Sunday allowing each truck to carry ten percent more weight.
?As of today, for 45 days, farmers can get a permit very easy, online with the department of transportation and they said there they are all ready to go. The permitting process is set and they can turn it around immediately, and everybody who needs to get the permit to increase their weight load, it?s ready to go. So, all the farmers around the state, go ahead with the expanded capability, ten percent more weight in your trucks. Let?s get the products to market and support our farmers.?
Under a new law Rauner signed August 11th, the declaration permits drivers of trucks carrying agricultural commodities over state highways to obtain a free permit to exceed gross vehicle weight limits by 10 percent. Further, local authorities may waive the permit requirement at their discretion.
Indiana harvest has also been hampered by constant rain interruptions and lags behind the 5-year average. Corn harvest throughout the state is 70 percent complete and soybean harvest is 85 percent complete.
Source: NAFB News Service
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