3-13-14 heavy farm equipment on roads

The state senate has approved a bill that allows farmers to legally operate machinery on roadways this year.

The bill has the support of a wide coalition of agricultural groups including the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.  Farm Bureau government relations director, Rob Richard, says the bill is the Farm Bureau’s top priority before spring planting begins so farmers have the ability to operate their equipment on roadways

without fear of law enforcement action.  The concern is  the potential damage heavy farm equipment can do to roads.  Municipal officials and farmers are handling the problem  in interesting ways.  Some municipalities are creating one way roads to allow equipment to go down the center.  In some places farmers are using pipes to transport manure over and under roads.