Poultry farmers in four northwest N.C. counties hit by recent winter storms are getting some help from Gov. Bev Perdue. She has temporarily suspended motor carrier regulations to ensure that farmers can get feed and supplies delivered for their livestock.
Executive Order No. 48 allows persons transporting feed and supplies to poultry farms in Alexander, Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties to operate above the maximum hours of service. The waiver of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations does not apply to size and weight restrictions, or to commercial driver’s license and insurance requirements.
“These feed shipments are essential to keep these animals alive during this extended cold snap and to protect our agriculture jobs,” Perdue said in a news release. “Some areas of our mountains have been especially hard hit by multiple storms during the past two months.”
The uninterrupted supply of feed and other goods to the poultry industry is essential during wintertime, and any interruption in the delivery of those goods threatens the industry, the governor’s office said.
The N.C. State Highway Patrol will enforce conditions outlined in the executive order. Upon request by law enforcement officers, exempted vehicles must produce documentation sufficient to establish their loads are being used for relief efforts associated with the cold weather and winter storm. The duration of this executive order is 30 days or until the emergency situation ends.
Update: A link to the Executive Order (pdf format) is here.