Comment Log Display

The Honorable Mary Nichols
Chair, California Air Resources Board
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Chair Nichols,

As a California beef producer I am writing to voice my strong
support for your staff’s proposed revisions to the Truck and Bus
Regulation that would classify trucks that exclusively haul cattle
as specialty farm vehicles. The proposed provisions will ensure
ranchers have access to enough trucks to move their cattle by
delaying retrofit and replacement requirements for dedicated
livestock haulers until January 1, 2023.

Livestock haulers typically travel far fewer miles annually
compared to other truckers but exceed the mileage threshold for the
agricultural provisions currently included in the rule. The
movement of cattle in California is generally seasonal, taking
place in the spring and fall, and miles traveled by livestock
haulers typically occur in rural areas. Unfortunately, California
ranchers are already subject to a shortage of livestock haulers and
depend on both in-state and out-of-state truck fleets to provide
enough trucks to move livestock when it is necessary. It has become
clear that the implementation of this rule has severely limited the
amount of truckers who are willing to continue to operate their
vehicles in California and resulted in a complete disinterest by
most out-of-state haulers to operate in California any longer. A
majority of California Beef Cattle leave the state when sold
because we no longer have the feeding nor slaughter facilities to
process these cattle for the California Consumer due to other
erroneous regulations. 

Some Ranchers own one truck to transport their own cattle from one
ranch to another, saving multiple trips with smaller trailers
pulled by pickups. These are the ones that really get hurt
financially.
Many livestock haulers and ranchers with trucks are also not
eligible for funding under the Carl Moyer Program or Proposition
1B. Many of these vehicles do not travel through the goods movement
corridor as required by Proposition 1B and drive too few miles in
mostly rural air districts and are not competitive for funding
under the cost formula generated for the Carl Moyer Program. 
Unfortunately, some truckers have voiced their opposition to
staff’s proposed livestock provision. I would be interested to know
how many of these truckers actually haul livestock?  While it is
very important to provide further forms of regulatory relief for
those who have already spent the money to install particulate
matter filters, this cannot be done at the expense of the proposed
livestock provision. Bottom line, this provision helps alleviate
the economic suffering that is currently taking place for many
ranchers and is good for the overall health of California’s beef
cattle industry. It is strongly supported by both ranchers and
livestock haulers throughout the state – including many who have
spent money to retrofit their trucks.
Please do not delay in supporting this important and critical
provision as proposed by staff at your hearing on April 24, 2014.
Sincerely,
Scott Violini
4th Generation Monterey County Beef Cattle producer
559 Corral de Tierra 
Salinas Ca 93908