Frequently asked questions
TRAVEL AND LIVESTOCK HAULERS
OVERWEIGHT HAULING DURING COVID-19 EMERGENCY PERIOD
INDOT has determined that loads of agricultural products interned for emergency response or relief are eligible to travel overweight under the emergency overweight permit, consistent with their statutory authority to issue emergency permits. Vehicles permitted under this emergency permit are limited to 90,000 lbs GVW (axle weight limits also apply, and are included on the permit) and may not exceed legal width, length, and height. All provisions of the M204 General Provisisons of an Oversize/ Overweight Vehicle Permit apply to the emergency permit, and carriers are respondible for any damage caused by their travel.
To obtain the emergency overweight permit, carriers must contact the Indiana Department of Revenue's OSW Permitting Office to receive the permit (at no cost, immediately during regular business hours), just like they do with any other OSOW permit. The OSOW Permitting Office can be reached at 317-615-7320 or IndianaOSW@dor.in.gov. The emergency permit must be carried in each vehicle at all times while traveling overweight, along with a copy of the M204 General Provisions avalaible
HERE.
Indiana State Police have been made aware of this inclusion; they retain full discretion and authority in enforcing vehicle size and weight and OSOW permitting laws and rules.
Specific questions can be directed to Leslie Morgan, Freight Manager, at lmorgan1@indot.in.gov or 317-234-2739.
___________________________________________________
HOURS OF SERVICE WAIVER EXTENDED TO FEED HAULERS
As you know federal, state, and local government partnership is essential at this time as U.S. pork producers continue to supply America kitchens and consumers around the world with healthy protein. To that end, we wanted to alert you on favorable development today resulting from NPPC's advcacy efforts.
On March 25th, the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that it would expand the scope of its nationwide wavier for Hours of Service (HOS) rules to include feed deliveries. The waivers remain in force until April 12, and could be extended if warranted by the COVID-19 crisis.
___________________________________________________
CRITICAL INDUSTRY EMPLOYEE AUTHORIZATION TO TRAVEL - SAMPLE LETTER
Employer should consider providing their employees with documentation that their travel is essential. The National Pork Board has put together a sample letter, as an example for employers to compose a letter specific to their farm and needs. See below the Indiana specific points from the "Stay-At-Home" Order.
Indiana Specific
-Section 11 of Executive Order 20-08, Section 11 designates food production essential
- Section 14 (c) of Executive Order 20-08 deems agriculture as essential business
______________________________________________________
MICHIGAN REQUIRING LETTER INDICATING TRAVEL FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
While Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky are not currently requiring documentation, Michigan is requiring a letter to be carried with workers traveling as part of a critical infrastructure sector. Templates of letters to communicate withmployees about the requirement as well as a template for the letter to be carried are available in English and Spanish on
Michigan Farm Bureau's website. If you conduct business across state lines, please use these resources to provide your employees with proper documentation. Thank you to our partners at Indiana Farm Bureau for sharing.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
DIY DUST MASK VIDEO TUTORIAL
CDC WEBSITE
INDIANA BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH RESOURCES
PRIVATE MARKET LIST
IDEM BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Due to IDEM staff working remotely, all paperwork MUST be submitted electronically. When submitting electronically, please submit to the corresponding project manager to your county. You will need to reference this MAP. This will be considered the delivered document and the hard copy does not need to be mailed.
- Please make sure that all email addresses are accurate.
-After submitting a document, please request a response indicating IDEM has received your documents.
-Compliance inspections will continue business as usual at this time. If a compliance inspection request is made and you fell it will cause an undue burden because of labor shortages, concerns over exposure to those outside the farm, etc. please contact Indiana Pork.
-If problems arise as a direct result of COVID-19 outbreak (labor shortages, etc.) might take you our of regulatory compliance, please contact Indiana Pork.
USDA's CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CFAP)
Download the application and eligibility forms HERE.
Read the USDA Press Release
HERE.