FED to require farmers to have a CDL to operate their tractors...

[squerly]

Anyone seen this? Apairently the Department of Transportation will soon force you to have a Comercial Drivers License to opperate a tractor. EVEN if it is on YOUR OWN PROPERTY!

Click Here

 

[California]

Here's the Federal Register notice describing a Request For Comments.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-07-01/html/2011-16548.htm

relevant part:

distinction between interstate and intrastate commerce in deciding
whether operations of commercial motor vehicles within the boundaries
of a single State are subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations; (2) proposed guidance on the relevance of the distinction
between direct and indirect compensation in deciding whether farm
vehicle drivers transporting agricultural commodities, farm supplies
and equipment as part of a crop share agreement are subject to the
commercial driver's license regulations; and, (3) proposed guidance to
determine whether off-road farm equipment or implements of husbandry
operated on public roads for limited distances are considered
commercial motor vehicles. The Agency indicated the guidance would be
used to help ensure uniform application of the safety regulations by
enforcement personnel, motor carriers and commercial motor vehicle
drivers.
Since the publication of the notice, the Agency has received a
letter signed by 18 U.S. Senators and numerous requests from the
agricultural industry to extend the comment period. The Senators and
industry acknowledged the importance of the issues covered by the
notice and requested additional time to provide farmers, many of whom
have planting and harvesting responsibilities during this time of the
year, additional time to review the notice and consider the likely
impacts of the guidance on their operations. Copies of the requests for
an extension of the comment period are included in the docket
referenced at the beginning of this notice.
The FMCSA acknowledges the concerns of the U.S. Senators and
farmers and extends the public comment period from June 30, 2011 to
August 1, 2011. The Agency will consider all comments received by close
of business on August 1, 2011. Comments will be available for
examination in the docket at the location listed under the Addresses
section of this notice. The Agency will consider to the extent
practicable comments received in the public docket after the closing
date of the comment period.

 

[Red Beard]

As a small family farmer, it would have been nice to have known about this before the Aug 1st deadline for comments! The Blaze piece was probably right when they said, basically, that the DOT didn't really care what we thought anyway and that their decision had already been made. I, or my vehicles, are already registered with the DOT, which is scary enough. When I registered there was one section which I had to list the cargo I would be hauling. That's an extensive list which included logs, fertilizer, spray chemicals, animals, produce, scrap and an ocasional car, truck, tractor or dozer. Got a call back after a few days by a State Trouper who was actually trying to help and in reviewing my app, noticed I had too many categories listed and that it raised too many Red Flags and that I should reduce the number. Come On, I'm a farmer! I do everything!! We are already bogged down with regulations and paperwork to the point that no one can ever be in full compliance with everything. Have any of you seen how thick the book of laws and regulations is at your local police department? The small farmer is already already almost a thing of the past, but this CDL thing for impliments of husbandry on private property is just insane and could kill the small farm. But then there would only be big farms which could be Unionized, monitored and controlled.

 

[bczoom]

From what I've heard, small farms are exempt. I don't have the details but thought this was only for large-scale operations.

 

[Archdean]

From what I've heard, small farms are exempt. I don't have the details but thought this was only for large-scale operations.

I just read the details and the use of words such as "any and all" seem to refute that thought.

I hold a CDL and in my old age I missed the renewal date by 4 days, the hoops I went through to renew it were nothing short of a search by TSA, Homeland security has their claws all over this POS!!!
I'm afraid this will get worse (if thats possible) untill the incompetent bunch gets the boot out of the whitehouse...

 

[California]

Everybody relax. Limbaugh or somebody was using that story to stir up anti-Obama fear. But there never was any substance behind it.

In summary: Republican Indiana just recently broadened the requirement for a CDL. The federal government put out a 'request for comment' on the issue of whether one (conservative) state had authority in this area when commercial farming like they do in Indiana is generally Interstate Commerce. (Even if the produce isn't sold interstate, many of the farmers participate in federal farm welfare programs or enjoy federal protection from imports that is a cost to taxpayers nationwide.)

So the mean old Obama administration asked for comments on whether a single conservative state had authority to change CDL requirements. After reviewing the comments they decided there is no issue to be resolved here, case closed. "“We have no intention of instituting onerous regulations on the hardworking families who feed our country and fuel our economy,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, himself an Illinoisan and a Republican, said in the agency’s statement"

Let's see how Limbaugh twists this.

Update:
A week later - Today's WSJ - Looks like somebody is oblivious to reality. Or more likely, he decided it was more politically advantageous to bash the Obama administration than tell the truth. Do you guys recognize when you are being fed propaganda?

Please read this if you have a comment on this issue:
Perry Points to ‘Idiotic’ U.S. Rule That Doesn’t Exist