(NAFB) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association just endorsed the Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety, or HAULS Act of 2021.

Introduced in the House of Representatives by Tennessee Republican John Rose and Democrat Darren Soto of Florida, NCBA says the bipartisan bill would deliver much-needed flexibility for livestock haulers. The House bill introduced this week is a companion to a bill introduced in the Senate last month.

NCBA President Jerry Bohn says of the legislation, “Livestock haulers don’t need more regulatory hoops to jump through – they need the freedom and flexibility to continue transporting animals safely and humanely.”

Current hours-of-service rules allow for 11 hours of drive time, 14 hours of on-duty time, and then require ten consecutive hours of rest. However, when transporting livestock, there is a need for further flexibility beyond the current hours-of-service.

The HAULS Act would add a 150 air-mile radius exemption under hours-of-service regulations to the backend of hauls for those transporting livestock or agricultural commodities.