The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a temporary waiver providing regulatory relief for motor carriers and drivers transporting straight or blended fertilizer products for commercial farming and agricultural purposes in Illinois and 33 other states.

Effective May 26 through August 26, 2026, the waiver suspends certain federal Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations and electronic logging device (ELD) requirements for qualifying fertilizer shipments. The action is intended to help ease seasonal transportation challenges and improve fertilizer movement during critical summer and pre-fall application periods.

For retailers, distributors, and cooperatives, the waiver may provide additional flexibility to move product during periods of tight trucking availability and increased seasonal demand.

Importantly, the waiver does not apply to hazardous materials transportation, meaning shipments of anhydrous ammonia and other hazmat-regulated products remain subject to standard federal transportation requirements.

The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) said the announcement follows other recent federal actions aimed at improving fertilizer supply chain logistics, including a temporary Jones Act waiver affecting certain vessel shipments.