Politics? No, this is about survival... Get a CDL to drive your tractor.

[Anmar]

In contrast, that situation illustrates perfectly the insanity of the proposed regulation.

Anyways, getting away from personal attacks...

Don't get me started on mexican trucks, the DOT and bad regulations.  I'm not in favor abolishing the DMV, but the politicians who oversee these institutions need to be reminded that they serve the american people, not big business. 

[thatsMRSc2u]

Gotta love grandpas! 

yes we do 

[Diane Amberg]

 Anmar,"Big Business" apparently has better lobbyists. The American people don't, except at election time. In between, most just gripe but don't write letters, e-mail  or keep in contact because they say it doesn't matter.  That's the best way not to get what you want, only gripe to each other behind the scenes. Now that they've all gone home, here's your chance to let  your Gov't know how you feel. Be polite but firm.
I hate that the Mexican trucks now have free reign. I will send an e-mail asking for an explanation, express my concerns and I will hear back, one of the advantages of living in a small state.

[Patriot]

Just in case you thought it was over....

Proposed rule on farms called 'absurd'
Gazette Virginian
Written by Sonny Riddle   
12:00 am 08/12/11


A new rule being proposed by the federal Department of Transportation would require farmers to get commercial drivers licenses.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is a part of DOT, wants to adopt standards that would reclassify all farm vehicles and implements as Commercial Motor Vehicles, officials said. Likewise, the proposal, if adopted, would require all farmers and everyone on the farm who operates any of the equipment to obtain a CDL, they added.

The proposed rule change would mean that anyone who drives a tractor or operates any piece of motorized farming equipment would be required to pass the same tests and complete the same detailed forms and logs required of semi-tractor trailer drivers.

Drivers would keep logs of information including hours worked and miles traveled. Vehicles would be required to display DOT numbers. A CDL in Virginia costs $64 for eight years, or $8 per year, not including the cost of an instructional class and the written test.

If the DOT reclassifies farm vehicles and implements as commercial vehicles, the federal government will have regulatory control over the nation's farm workers, estimated at over 800,000, by requiring them to have commercial drivers licenses.

That possibility worries county farmers and others in Halifax County interested in agriculture.

"I have a CDL, but very few farmers have one," said Nathalie farmer Ronnie Waller. "This is just another bureaucratic hurdle for the farmer.

"It's hard enough fighting Mother Nature, insects and all...now we have to fight the federal government," he added. "We're getting more rammed down our throats, and I could see repercussions across the nation. This move is another inane gesture in my opinion," Waller concluded.

Bruce Pearce, Halifax County Soil and Water Conservation district manager, agrees with Waller.

"It's absurd, we're being regulated out of business," Pearce said. "I can see where you need to take precautions if you take these things on the interstate."

Pearce said driving a tractor on a road is not like driving a semi-tractor trailer on the highway.

"If it passes, there will be a lot of citations written," he said. "It'll create a financial burden on the farmer.

"Many farm workers are migrant workers, and they don't have drivers licenses," he said.

"If this thing passes, it would be detrimental to the agriculture business," said Jason Fisher, Halifax County Extension agent for Forestry and Natural Resources. "They're going to get a bigger fight from other places.

"It would be stifling to agriculture," he said. "For the producers here, we're looking to do things to help them maintain their farms. CDLs would mean additional costs to the farmers."

Scott Crowder, Halifax County Farm Bureau president, agrees with Fisher.

"I think it's absurd," he said. "It's just more federal bureaucracy and another infringement on small business."

Crowder said farm tractors and other machinery on county roads is a common sight in most rural areas.

"When you live in a rural community seeing farm equipment on the road is just something that's a part of life," he said. "If this thing passes, it will create more strain on small business, and that's what farmers are. It will affect their bottom line. Call your congressman and senators," he concluded.

Link:  http://www.gazettevirginian.com/index.php/news/34-news/3739-proposed-rule-on-farms-called-absurd

[flintauqua]

Transportation Department clarifies farm vehicle inquiry

(8/10/2011)
Sally Schuff

The U.S. Department of Transportation today (Aug. 11) confirmed that existing agricultural exemptions for farm vehicles will continue to apply as they have in the past, and that it had never been the intention of the agency to invoke any new regulations. There was widespread concern in the agricultural industry that a USDOT Federal Register notice on May 31 signaled that the agency had sweeping new regulations under consideration for farm drivers, farm machinery, and vehicles used to deliver harvests to elevators.

However, a USDOT spokesperson told Feedstuffs today, that the agency's May 31 request for public comments addressed a different matter. He explained it addressed producer concerns about actions taken in one unnamed Midwestern state that appeared to be tightening state regulations on farm vehicles. The federal agency asked for public comments, not as many thought as a precursor to new federal regulations, but rather because "we were really focused on exemptions that are consistent across all the states to let farmers get their work done." 

He said it was not accurate to say that the agency was "backing away" from new agricultural regulations -- since none were ever anticipated.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


(Previously posted story) The U.S. Department of Transportation announced today (Aug. 10) it is backing away from any new regulations that would affect farm operations and the transport of agricultural products.

USDOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced today (Aug. 10) "that it has no intention to propose new regulations governing the transport of agricultural products. The agency also released guidance designed to make sure states clearly understand the common sense exemptions that allow farmers, their employees, and their families to accomplish their day-to-day work and transport their products to market." 

Today's announcement was immediately praised by the National Beef Cattlemen's Assn.

FMCSA's statement today said, "No regulations will be proposed for any new safety requirements or changes to the rules governing the transport of agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm."

"We have no intention of instituting onerous regulations on the hardworking farmers who feed our country and fuel our economy," said Secretary Ray LaHood, a former Republican House member from Illinois. "Farmers deserve to know that reasonable, common sense exemptions will continue to be consistently available to agricultural operations across the country, and that's why we released this guidance."   

This guidance – which does not impose any new rules on farmers – follows the Federal Register public notice which FMCSA issued on May 31, 2011, asking farmers, farm organizations and the public to give input on the agency's longstanding safety rules. The input was strongly opposed to changing current exemptions.

http://www.feedstuffs.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=F4D1A9DFCD974EAD8CD5205E15C1CB42&nm=Daily+News&type=news&mod=News&mid=A3D60400B4204079A76C4B1B129CB433&tier=3&nid=45A10BE1BBFD45BB8BDDE5797A7AA5F7

[Patriot]

Transportation Department clarifies farm vehicle inquiry

That's helpful.  Yet we see another, deeper & continuing issue arise... either there's been some really poor communication from government bureaucrats up to this point... or their lips are moving.  Either is unacceptable.

[flintauqua]

Also, excerpts straight from the horses mouth:

From Aug. 10, 2001 Release:  http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/fmcsa2411.html

"WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced today that it has no intention to propose new regulations governing the transport of agricultural products. The agency also released guidance designed to make sure states clearly understand the common sense exemptions that allow farmers, their employees, and their families to accomplish their day-to-day work and transport their products to market.  

After hearing from concerned farmers earlier this year, FMCSA initiated this review to make sure states don't go overboard in enforcing regulations on agricultural operators, and to ensure consistent access to exemptions for farmers. No regulations will be proposed for any new safety requirements or changes to the rules governing the transport of agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm."


From Guidance document:  http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/rulemakings/notices/Agricultural-Guidance.pdf

"It is worth repeating that neither the May 31 notice nor today's notice propose or proposed any rule change or new safety requirements. Instead, the Agency sought feedback from farm organizations, farmers, and the public on the agency's long-standing interpretations of existing rules, so it could then determine whether any adjustments were needed to improve understanding of the current safety regulations."

[Diane Amberg]

So, I still stand behind what I said before ,Patriot's insult not withstanding.   I don't see anything that restrictive being passed. It seems for once I was right. We'll see. We have no shortage of people trying to stir up trouble even when there isn't any, and there is plenty enough real trouble as it is. 

[Patriot]

"WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)...

After hearing from concerned farmers earlier this year, FMCSA initiated this review to make sure states don't go overboard in enforcing regulations on agricultural operators, and to ensure consistent access to exemptions for farmers.

Thanks again.

So let me get this straight (undoing the bureaucratic parse)... "federal government good, states bad".

Only a big government loving progressive could miss that inference. 

[Diane Amberg]

States should be able to do what they want in this case.The only problem I could see would be when farms cross state lines. If the neighboring states have different rules they should be prepared to be lenient.There might be complications involving state fuel taxes on FT vehicles also.