News

Transportation bill includes bulk milk truck provision

The conference committee has completed work on the transportation bill. It includes language that fluid milk can be treated as a non-divisible load under existing federal transportation law. It allows states to issue permits so bulk trucks would not have to offload some milk before entering a state with lower weight limits. This provision recognizes the unique aspects of transporting milk, as well as the food safety requirements governing milk.  The provision was included in the House version of the transportation bill but not the Senate’s.

Current law allows states to issue permits for other non-divisible products such as trees and boats.

The National Milk Producers Federation and International Dairy Foods Association praised the conference committee for including the provision which they say “will benefit producers, processors and consumers.”

 

The bill also includes an amendment from Representative Sean Duffy (R-WI) which will allow logging trucks up to 98,000 pounds to run on a 12-mile stretch of Interstate 39 in Wisconsin from the Junction with Highway 34 north of Stevens Point to Highway 29 East at Wausau. The trucks were able to run the highway when it was U.S. 51 but when it was designated as an Interstate Highway, the maximum weight limit was reduced to 80,000 pounds.