Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order on Sept. 29 permitting farmers and loggers to use red-dyed off-road diesel on state highways. The temporary measure, typically restricted to off-road use on farms, is intended to alleviate operational costs during the busy harvest season.
“If a country can’t feed itself, fuel itself, or fight for itself, then it can’t survive,” Sanders said.
The order comes as agricultural input costs reach unprecedented levels, driving up expenses for Arkansas producers. According to Sanders, such cost increases also impact consumers by making goods less affordable.
The governor highlighted this initiative as part of her broader plan to reduce financial burdens for Arkansas residents, citing other efforts such as eliminating the state grocery tax, reducing income taxes by 25%, returning $1.5 billion to taxpayers, and maintaining some of the lowest utility costs in the nation.
“We want Arkansas to be the best state in the nation to run a business, whether you’re a farmer, logger, manufacturer, or anyone else,” Sanders said.
As farmers and loggers press forward through the peak of the harvest season, the governor emphasized that the temporary allowance will help them continue to provide crucial resources. “This helps Arkansas producers feed and fuel America,” she added.
The executive order applies statewide and remains in effect as part of the administration’s seasonal support for the agriculture and logging industries.