Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 12/6/17


U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) led a bipartisan group of lawmakers calling for delayed implementation of electronic logging devices (ELDs) for trucks transporting livestock.

The senators this week send a letter to Senate leadership supporting a provision in the U.S. House-passed appropriations bill that would delay implementation of ELDs and give the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) time to make adjustments to hours of service rules to address animal welfare concerns.

“Long distance transportation is often the most stressful event in a livestock animal’s life and it is impractical and inhumane to stop, offload multiples times, or significantly delay delivery of these animals,” the senators wrote. “The pending mandate will have negative consequences on livestock haulers and hinder the ability of this unique subset of the industry to humanely deliver healthy livestock.”

FMCSA last month granted a 90-day waiver from compliance for vehicles transporting agricultural commodities but did not provide any assurance of relief beyond the 90-day period, the senators noted.

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