Senator Metzger’s Newly Signed Farm Vehicle Registration Bill Remedies Unnecessary Farmer Burdens

Albany, NY...State Senator Jen Metzger’s (SD-42) farm vehicle registration bill was signed into law Wednesday, addressing an unnecessary administrative burden on New York farmers.

Prior to the law’s passage, agricultural vehicle owners were required not only to file and maintain a registration that verifies the vehicle's point of origin (ensuring its use within 25 miles of the respective farm), but also to maintain an additional card attached to the registration that specified each anticipated destination the vehicle would travel. Having to record continuous destination updates was burdensome for farms looking to alter or expand routes, or to purchase additional farm land.

“New York’s farmers understand the need to maintain proper records for vehicle registrations, and this legislation alleviates unnecessary administrative burdens on small and mid-sized family farms who often do not have the bandwidth to file exhaustive paperwork for their vehicles’ day-to-day usage,” said Senator Metzger. “As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I will continue to work with our farming community to support a flourishing agricultural sector for the long term."

“This bill is a common-sense solution to solving a red tape issue facing owners of farm-plated trucks in agriculture. New York Farm Bureau thanks Senator Metzger for leading the charge on this bill which simplifies record keeping for farmers, thereby letting them do what they do best, which is farm,” said Jeff Williams, Director of Public Policy, New York Farm Bureau.