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Livestock trucking rule could be delayed

The House Appropriations Committee has approved legislation that would delay mandatory electronic reporting for livestock haulers until next year.

American Farm Bureau Federation Director of Congressional Relations Andrew Walmsley tells Brownfield more needs to be known about the new Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations impact on animal wellbeing.  “There’s a lot of concern in the countryside on how this mandate will impact animal care, animal welfare, when we’re transporting livestock.  A lot of it deals with hours of service, the amount of time a driver can be on the road, and what that implies to animal health.”

The electronic devices connect to vehicle engines to more accurately track driving times, which supporters say creates safer work environments for drivers and reduce the number of crashes. But Walmsley says once a driver hits their limit on service hours, they must stop for 10 consecutive hours which would stress livestock.  “There are a few exceptions.  If you’re driving a truck that’s older than 2000, if you’re not required to keep a log book more than eight days out of a 30-day period, or if you’re able to claim covered farm vehicle status—you don’t have to get electronic logs.”

The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to work up similar language to delay the mandate this week.

AUDIO: Interview with Andrew Walmsley