Скачать или смотреть Ag truck weight rules eased for harvest emergency

BLOOMINGTON — As the grain department manager for Evergreen FS, Steve Dennis has seen a lot of farmers sweat out the harvest season, wondering if they were going to get their crops in on time with high enough yields to make a profit.

This year, Dennis has talked to his share of nervous farmers, anxious to get the crops out of the fields but frustrated by a soggy fall.

“We are a little bit behind because we got about a two- to two-and-a-half-week later start than normal,” he said. “It seemed like the crop matured rather slowly, probably because of a cooler-than-average August.”

Central Illinois farmers aren’t the only ones behind. As a result, Gov. Bruce Rauner declared a statewide harvest emergency to assist farmers and grain handlers, allowing trucks hauling agricultural commodities on state routes (excluding interstates) to exceed their permitted gross vehicle weight limits by 10 percent.

“Illinois is home to 72,000 farms on 26.7 million acres, and we are among the top three corn producers in the nation,” Rauner said while visiting Stewart Farms in Yorkville on Sunday afternoon. “Moving corn and other crops in a timely and efficient manner affects the bottom line of hardworking farmers. This declaration is an appropriate response to an urgent need.”

The declaration issued Sunday is in effect for 45 days.

Local authorities also can waive the weight requirement on their roads.

“The 2017 harvest is taking longer than usual,” said Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard