Iowa Issues 30-Day Overweight Permits for Harvest Season
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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a seasonal grain harvest proclamation that allows overweight loads for vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, fodder, fertilizer and manure to be overweight for 30 days.
“On behalf of Iowa’s farmers, we extend our gratitude to Governor Reynolds for approval of this proclamation as it is a tremendous help for Iowa’s corn farmers,” said Jolene Riessen, president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and a farmer from Ida Grove. “With the extended weight, a 500-acre Iowa corn farmer would require 12 fewer truckloads and a 1,000-acre Iowa corn farmer would require 25 fewer truckloads, which is both a time saver and a fuel saver.”
The 30-day proclamation is in effect through Oct. 11. The order noted there is a need for efficient collection and transportation of goods during the fall harvest season since the state experiences large volumes of agricultural truck traffic.
The harvest proclamation is to allow vehicles transporting agricultural products to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) and not exceeding the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds. The overweight vehicles must comply with posted weight limits on roads and bridges.
Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a proclamation related to transportation weight limits on grain, fertilizer, and manure. The proclamation is set to expire on Oct. 11. See the details at https://t.co/eQNCKPmBMj pic.twitter.com/KtUnVPKQoH — Iowa DOT (@iowadot) September 11, 2023
Vehicles operating under the proclamation can haul overweight agricultural loads without a permit during the 30-day duration.
This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system).
The Iowa Department of Public Safety “is directed to monitor the operation of the governor’s proclamation to ensure public safety and facilitate the movements of trucks involved in Iowa’s planting season,” the order stated.
Iowa’s farms spanned 30 million acres in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s overview of states. Corn and grain, harvested on 12.4 million acres, was valued at $16.86 billion. The state’s soybean crop, harvested on 10 million acres, was valued at $8.39 billion.
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