The Agricultural Exemption in Interstate Trucking: Developments in 1957-58

Excerpts from the report: It is the purpose of this report to recount the outstanding events in the 1957-1958 legislative and judicial history of the "agricultural exemption" in interstate trucking. The story of this exemption, from its origin in the Motor Carrier Act of 1935 through May 1957, may be found in a previous publication, "The Agricultural Exemption in Interstate Trucking—A Legislative and Judicial History." The exemption referred to here is contained in Section 203(b) (6) of the Interstate Commerce Act. The earlier report covered not only this exemption but also the related ones, contained in Sections 203(b) (4a) and 203(b)(5). Because these related exemptions have not been amended or reinterpreted since the earlier study, they are omitted from this report. Section 203(b)(6) provides exemption from economic regulation by the Interstate Commerce Commission for motor vehicles which, on a for-hire basis, carry agricultural commodities and the unmanufactured products thereof. This means that the ICC has no control over who enters the business of trucking these commodities, the routes he travels, the areas he serves, the rates he charges, and so forth. This exemption does not apply when the exempt commodities are carried in a mixed load with commodities subject to regulation.