Yoho Sends Letter on Hours of Service Waivers for Livestock Haulers

Yesterday Congressman Yoho (R-FL), along with over 50 other Members of Congress sent a letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration in support of a petition to provide a waiver from certain Hours of Service (HOS) rules for livestock haulers. Upon doing so, Congressman Yoho released the following statement:

“The safe transportation of livestock is an essential part of feeding America; this petition would modify the current regulations so we protect the safety of both haulers and livestock in route to their final destination. I want to thank Congressman Peterson, Congressman Marshall, and all my colleagues who lead this bipartisan letter in support of the petition to provide relief for livestock haulers.”

From an animal safety perspective, it is important to transport these animals from point a to point b with minimal interruption. That’s why both the American Farm Bureau Association,the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Florida Cattlemen’s Association are in support of this letter:

“When livestock and other live animals are transported, it’s important to get them to their destination safely and without delay or disruption,” said Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “Safety for the driver and others on the road is a priority. That is why we are petitioning DOT to adopt modern fatigue-management practices that provide the same or greater level of safety while avoiding unintended and unnecessary stress on the animals entrusted to our care. We greatly appreciate Reps. Yoho, Peterson, Marshall and the other Members of Congress who wrote DOT in support of the petition.”

“We’re very thankful to Congressmen Yoho, Peterson, Marshall, and others for helping lead the effort to bring some common sense and flexibility to the Hours of Service rules that govern livestock haulers,” said Kevin Kester, fifth-generation California rancher and President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “We hope that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sees the support of many Members of Congress from across the United States for this petition, and recognizes the need for flexibility. We look forward to continuing our work to deliver more flexibility for haulers while maintaining a very strong safety record for fellow highway travelers.”

“Cattle are no longer trailed thousands of miles, on the hoof, to railheads and processing centers. They are trucked to their destinations by dedicated individuals who have the safety of their cargo and other motorists as a paramount concern.” said Alex Johns, President of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. “All cattle ranchers are impacted by hours of service regulations, however in my home state of Florida that impact is huge. Simply due to our geographical location in respect to much of our industry’s infrastructure, we on the peninsula are at the greatest risk of inflexible regulations preventing us from getting our cattle safely and efficiently to their next destination. I applaud the efforts of  those Congressmen, from many states, who have urged FMCSA to give fair consideration to the petition filed by NCBA and other industry groups.”