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Rauner-Declared Harvest Emergency Allows Heavier Truck Loads

Guy Stephens/WNIJ

Gov. Bruce Rauner has declared a “harvest emergency” across Illinois.

The designation means trucks carrying grain can exceed weight limits by 10 percent. Jeff Kirwan, with the Illinois Farm Bureau, says weather challenges have made for a unique harvest season.

“We have had good yields, but that also has brought about a lot of moving grain around," he said. "We have elevators that are struggling to get grain moved from their facility to a terminal, and this will allow them to be more efficient."

Wet weather earlier this year delayed planting in parts of the state, which in turn delays the harvest. Federal statistics show that, at the end of October, the Illinois corn harvest was 17 percentage points behind last year.

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