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The Fertilizer Institute today expressed strong support for the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s proposed surface transportation reauthorization legislation, the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act (BUILD America 250 Act). The bipartisan proposal, sponsored by Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) and other bipartisan committee leaders, is an important investment toward strengthening rural infrastructure, improving supply chain reliability, and supporting America’s farmers and rural communities.
“A safe, efficient, and modern transportation network is essential to keeping fertilizer and other agricultural inputs moving to farms and getting agricultural products to market,” said TFI president and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. “This legislation recognizes that the roads, bridges, rail crossings, and freight corridors connecting rural America are essential to our nation’s infrastructure and economic growth.”
TFI praised the bill’s strong focus on local roads and bridges that provide first- and last-mile connectivity between highways, farms, and agricultural facilities. TFI has long highlighted the importance of these routes to the agricultural supply chain, including through its support of the bipartisan Agricultural & Rural Road Improvement Program Act (H.R. 4585), introduced by Representatives Mike Bost (R-IL) and Josh Riley (D-NY) earlier in the 119th Congress.
“All fertilizer moves by truck at least once in its journey to the farm, and over 80 percent of agricultural freight tonnage moves by truck,” Rosenbusch said. “But too many of the rural roads and bridges farmers and agricultural supply chains rely on every day are outdated, weight-limited, or in need of modernization. That creates delays, inefficiencies, and higher transportation costs throughout the system.”
TFI also applauded the bill’s inclusion of provisions from the bipartisan VARIANCE Act to allow a 10 percent axle variance for dry bulk goods like fertilizer, helping account for natural load shifts while maintaining strong safety performance. The organization additionally welcomed provisions modernizing and streamlining seasonal commercial driver’s license issuance for agricultural workers.
All road users should pay for road and bridge construction and maintenance, yet that is currently not the case. TFI strongly supports the bill’s inclusion of annual fees on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, providing needed revenue to the Highway Trust Fund.
“We appreciate the leadership of Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, the bipartisan members of the Committee, and their hardworking staffers for the extensive work that went into developing this legislation,” Rosenbusch concluded. “This bill reflects a strong understanding of the importance of rural infrastructure to agriculture, supply chains, and the American economy.”
Source: The Fertilizer Institute
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