Is my farm equipment Category A, B or C? What’s my per axle weight limit on a state highway? What’s an Ag-CMV? All good questions about Wisconsin’s new Implements of Husbandry law that can be answered in a series of IoH-Act 377 videos produced by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) in conjunction with The Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the University of Wisconsin Extension.
“These training videos are designed to give farmers and local government officials easy access to basic information they will need before harvest equipment starts hitting the roads and highways this fall, “ said Jim Dick, DATCP Communications Director. “Many farmers may not even realize there are new requirements for the equipment they’ve been driving on public roads for years.”
The topics for these nine videos include new definitions of IoH and an Agricultural Commercial Motor Vehicle (Ag-CMV), weight limits, lighting and markers, rules of the road, local options for municipalities and more. The series of videos can be found at: www.youtube.com/user/widatcp/videos
These videos supplement in-person educational IoH sessions being held around the state that are coordinated by the UW-Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. You can find a regularly updated list of these training sessions by going to: fyi.uwex.edu/ioh. Anyone interested in hosting one of these IoH training sessions can contact your local county Extension office.
“UW-Extension is also getting requests for programs to help farmers determine the axle weights and gross vehicle weight of their equipment,” said Cheryl Skjolaas, Interim Director at the UW Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. “We have portable scales on loan from the Wisconsin State Patrol that can be used for weight limit demonstrations. Anyone interested in such a program should also contact their county extension office.”
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation website at AgVehicles.dot.wi.gov is another source of information regarding the new Implements of Husbandry law. There you will find more details on IoH/Ag CMV definitions, weight limits, permits and answers to frequently asked questions.
There are a number of changes in this new IoH law that will affect farmers immediately. Other changes won’t take effect until next year.
The Wisconsin State Patrol will only issue warnings for most IoH violations until January 15, 2015 but operators are still subject to county and local ordinances and enforcement.
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