Pillen signs two executive orders regarding Nebraska’s agricultural community

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — On Sept. 24, Gov. Jim Pillen signed executive orders aimed at assisting agriculture producers by not taxing diesel for farmers and allowing trailers to carry up to 20,000 weight per axel.

This comes at a time when diesel gas prices are reaching record highs.

Pillen, alongside Agriculture director Sherry Vinton, Nebraska State Patrol Colonel Waugh, representatives of Nebraska agriculture and senators of rural Nebraska, met at the capitol building to discuss new measures being taken to provide relief for Nebraska agriculture producers.

Agriculture is the largest industry in Nebraska, generating billions of dollars of revenue per year. Although, for farmers, the price they have to pay has been a burden to their profit.

“Right now, our row crop farmers are dealing with historic challenging profitability, let’s say, because of rising input costs,” Vinton said. “So, anything we can do to lower the price of diesel and allow them to haul a little bit more will be very, very helpful.”

As of now, legislation has not passed the new proposed Farm Bill.

“It just seems like all the way around, we’re kind of getting hit really hard,” Wahoo farmer Doug Bartek said. “So this will come at a really good time. And like the governor said, is this the silver bullet? No, but any little bit will help.”

Making changes at the state level to help Nebraska agriculture producers isn’t the only goal for the governor, according to Pillen. He wrote a letter to President Trump, urging him to suspend diesel exports to foreign countries.

“A modest 90-day pause of these exports will allow domestic diesel reserves to rebuild and instantly lower costs for Nebraska farmers and consumers,” Pillen said.

Pillen also alluded to the possibility of extending the orders past 90 days, if no change is seen at the federal.

Following the governor’s meeting, Lynne Walz, Pillen’s Democratic challenger in November’s election, responded to the two executive orders.

“After four years of watching farmers struggle, it’s about time Jim Pillen finally attempts to come up with a plan. This is a drop in the bucket for farm families who’ve spent years getting squeezed,” Lynne Walz’s campaign said. “Lynne Walz and Ben Steffen will give farmers and ranchers a seat at the table from day one, not a last-minute plan once an election is on the line.”

The orders came into effect following the documents signing on Thursday afternoon.