Horticulture as an agricultural commodity

Added on 14 December 2020

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Horticulture as an agricultural commodity

AmericanHort has hailed the U.S. Department of Transportation's Interim Final Rule announcing that horticulture is specifically included in the definition of "agricultural commodity" as it pertains to transportation as a win for horticulture.

"We are very pleased with the clarification of the agricultural commodity definition," says Tal Coley, Director of Government Affairs at AmericanHort. "Plants are highly perishable products in transit. Officials at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, with assistance from USDA, got this right and should be commended. This is a sound government measure that will provide clarity to commercial drivers in our industry and enforcement officers alike."

Amending the agricultural commodity definition for transportation has been a key legislative priority for AmericanHort, as it was uncertain in the original definition as to which industries were specifically included. In turn, this created confusion around certain elements of Hours of Service regulations. The agency now states that it considers sod, flowers, ornamentals, seedlings, shrubs, live trees, and Christmas trees within the scope of the definition.

For more information, read FCMSA's Interim Final Rule.