The Agricultural Exemption in Interstate Trucking

STATISTICS show that, year by year, more and more products of S agriculture are being hauled by truck. The truck may belong to the farmer himself, his neighbor, or a for-hire carrier. But, no matter who owns it, the truck is of great significance to the farmer, both in operating his farm and in disposing of his produce. Regulations pertaining to trucks, therefore, are of interest to the farmer as well as to economists dealing with farm problems. In 1935 legislation was passed bringing the interstate motor carrier industry under regulation by the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Motor Carrier Act of 1935, as this law was called, became Part II of the Interstate Commerce Act. Under the law, the Interstate Commerce Commission exercises two types of control over motor carriers: (1) Economic regulation-which includes control over who may engage in trucking, the routes or areas to be served, and the rates to be charged; (2) Safety regulation-which includes rules laid down by the Commission respecting qualifications and maximum hours of service of employees and safety of operation and equipment. Several different types of motor carriers were specifically exempt from economic regulation-among them, haulers of agricultural commodities. It is this exemption granted agricultural haulers with which we concern ourselves here.1 It has been the subject of controversy almost from the time of its enactment.