To support Missouri’s agriculture industry amidst rising input costs, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 26-19, authorizing a temporary suspension of motor vehicle fuel restrictions and a temporary increase in agricultural allowable weight limitations.
With extraordinary conditions this year having greatly increased input costs such as fertilizer and diesel fuel, the harvesting and transportation of agricultural products has become severely cost-inefficient and placed an immense economic burden on Missouri producers and livestock haulers.
The Governor’s executive order declares a State of Emergency, allowing farmers and haulers in commercial vehicles licensed for farm use to use dyed diesel fuel on state highways for agricultural purposes and adjusts commercial vehicle weight limitations to increase capacity for agricultural transportation.
“Missouri farmers are working hard to bring in this year’s harvest while facing higher costs at nearly every turn,” said Governor Kehoe. “Our administration is taking targeted action where we can to help address the unique fuel and transportation needs of harvest season. This executive order gives our producers and agricultural haulers some commonsense flexibility to lower transportation costs and keep Missouri agriculture moving. When we can reduce unnecessary costs for our farmers, that ultimately benefits families across our state.”
Dyed diesel is off-road fuel marked red to be used in agricultural operations and sold without a motor-fuels tax. Because of its tax status, Missouri law bars its use on public roadways. The executive order suspends state restrictions and associated statutory penalties for vehicles traveling on Missouri-operated highways engaged in agricultural operations, and prohibits any state agency, department, or law enforcement officer from assessing taxes, administrative, civil, or criminal penalties against any owner or operator operating within the scope of this exemption.
Many Missouri farm operations maintain on-farm and on-site storage of dyed diesel fuel for nontaxable off-road agricultural use, and allowing that fuel to be temporarily utilized in motor vehicles on public highways engaged exclusively in agricultural operations will increase fuel availability and provide immediate economic relief.
The executive order will be available at this link.
