Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado has announced measures to provide relief for Colorado’s drought-stricken farmers and ranchers including those who own horses, cattle and other animals and need hay to survive current conditions.
Drought impacting hay availablity for horses and livestock
Hickenlooper's Executive Order suspends permits necessary to authorize transports of large baled hay or baled horse and livestock feed which may exceed lawful maximum height.
© 2012 by April Raine
Hickenlooper‘s Executive Order, signed into law this past Sunday, suspends permits necessary to authorize transports of large baled hay or baled livestock feed which may exceed lawful maximum height.
“Large areas of Colorado have experienced devastating damage from drought. This has severely impacted the ability of Colorado livestock producers to acquire the requisite amount of feed for their animals. As winter approaches, such restrictions put Colorado livestock in severe danger and producers require immediate assistance to meet their feed requirements,”
The Executive Order suspends rules that prevent the State from issuing single-trip, extra-legal permits for divisible loads of “baled hay” or “baled livestock feed” of heights ranging from 14 feet, 6 inches to 15 feet. The Order will stay in effect until Oct. 21, 2012.
The governor announced the Executive Order during the inaugural Pedal The Plains event on the Eastern Plains, a well attended and highly successful cycling rally which was the brainchild of Colo. Gov. Hickenlooper, who also was a rider in the event. The goal of the tour was to celebrate the roots and the frontier heritage of Colorado’s eastern plains.
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