The Missouri Department of Agriculture asked the Missouri Department of Transportation to waive certain regulations to help farmers harvest crops faster.

After days of rain, farmers will be harvesting crops as soon as the grown dries. Missouri farmers have experienced compounded financial hardships, costing them millions of dollars, for being unable to harvest earlier.

With MoDOT’s declaration, participating farmers will be required to abide by the following:

• Loaded, gross weight can be no greater than 10 percent above the gross vehicle weight rating of the vehicle licensed weight. 
• Limit transport of row crop commodities from the farm to a local storage facility and empty return trips to the farm. 
• When crossing a bridge, the drive must restrict the vehicle speed to no more than 45 miles per hour and must center the truck between two lanes of the bridge. 
• Travel on highways other than Missouri interstate highways – no interstate travel will be permitted. 
• While transporting row crops from farm to storage, farmers are not required to abide by hours-of-service laws. 
• Must carry a copy of the emergency declaration in each vehicle that operates in response to relief efforts.