FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Ray Carter, House Media
Capitol: (405) 557-7421

Contact: State Rep. James Covey Contact: State
Rep. Ryan McMullen
Capitol: (405) 557-7325 Capitol: (405)
557-7312
Custer City: (580) 593-2396 Burns Flat:
(580) 562-3934

Representatives Request Task Force to Examine
Current Wheat Harvest Licensing and Regulations

OKLAHOMA CITY- Two Oklahoma lawmakers are concerned that recent changes
in the regulation of wheat harvest have led to confusion and increased
costs for state harvesters. State Reps. James Covey and Ryan McMullen
have requested a task force to study the matter during the interim.

Earlier this year, enforcement of a state law requiring harvesters to
show proof of equipment insurance and a permit to operate in Oklahoma
changed hands from the Oklahoma Tax Commission to the Oklahoma
Corporation Commission, leading many farmers to complain of delays due
to inspections that cost them precious harvesting time.

"This is a conflict of two agencies issuing licenses to custom
harvesters that must be resolved," said Covey, D-Custer City. "Our goal
for the task force is to evaluate current law for conflicts and make
corrections for the upcoming legislative session."

During the recent wheat harvest, farmers and grain elevator managers
across the state complained about increased regulation by the
Corporation Commission as it attempted to ensure equipment used for
cutting was properly insured and permitted. In the past, inspection was
handled by the Tax Commission, and many custom harvesters have been
caught off-guard by the shift, said Covey.

"The current process is more complicated than just showing insurance
verification," said McMullen, D-Burns Flat. "There's some state
registration fees that you've got to pay along with providing direct
verification of coverage from an insurance company. It's a
time-consuming process that should and must be streamlined."

Joe Neal Hampton, president of the Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association,
said the Corporation Commission initially was requiring harvesters to go
to Oklahoma City for a permit if they did not already have one. But a
change allowed enforcement agents to issue a permit on site, saving time
and money.

Other complaints have originated from co-op managers and harvesters that
say the commission set up inspection sites near co-ops and grain
elevators, creating congestion and causing harvesters to be out of the
fields longer than necessary. On a good day, a crew will run several
trucks of grain from the field and return as quickly as possible to
avoid delaying the cutting process.

"The Corporation Commission has been willing to work with us in ceasing
much of the heavy-handed enforcement we saw earlier in the harvest
season," said McMullen. "But given the headaches this has caused so many
of us in agriculture, we're going to push for some serious reforms in
harvest regulations."

Farmers already have to deal with other problems, such as rain and
equipment failure, that slow down harvest and should not have that
coupled with complicated and confusing regulations, said McMullen.

"I feel confident we can use some common sense and come up with some
streamlined rules for our harvesters and farmers."

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