North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has signed an emergency executive order granting a waiver of hours of service for commercial drivers transporting anhydrous ammonia. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring requested the waiver to ensure sufficient resources are available for farmers. Many farmers in the region are facing fertilizer shortages due to late season snowfall in the Midwest. In an interview with RRFN, Burgum confirmed the shortage is a supply chain issue. “When it gets related to anhydrous ammonia, then you’re talking about a very specialized supply chain,” said Burgum. “There’s only a certain amount of equipment, both rail and truck, and facilities to handle anhydrous. When product runs out, and there’s demand across this large of a region, we end up with a supply chain dislocation.” The emergency order will remain in effect through May 30.
