Vern Thompson Announces 90-Day Harvest Transport Fuel Refund Plan, Governor Armstrong Follows with 60-day Plan
For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
FARGO, N.D. - Vern Thompson, candidate for North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner, announced a plan Tuesday at 9:35am on KFGO to give farmers some harvest-time relief during the worst farm crisis in 40 years. North Dakota farmers and ranchers are facing extraordinarily high fuel and transportation costs right as crops and livestock need to move.
Thompson offered this plan to current state leadership, including current Ag Commissioner Doug Goehring. “Farmers don’t need another long‑term promise. They need help getting through the harvest right now. The Ag Commissioner has a responsibility to act.” - Thompson
Tuesday at 4:33pm, Governor Armstrong announced an executive order in support of this plan, for the next 60 days. https://www.governor.nd.gov/news/armstrong-declares-diesel-emergency-takes-action-provide-relief-fuel-costs-agricultural
"I am glad that the Governor ran with our idea that we announced this morning on KFGO" - Vern Thompson
Vern’s Plan for the Next 90 Days:
1. Dyed‑Diesel Penalty Suspension
Allow qualified ag transport vehicles to use dyed diesel during the next 90 days without state penalties. If a farmer already has farm diesel in the tank, they should be able to use it during this emergency period instead of buying higher‑priced highway diesel.
2. State Fuel‑Tax Refund
Provide a fuel‑tax refund for qualified transport of North Dakota ag products that use taxed road fuel.
3. Harvest Weight Relief (Up to 25%)
Authorize up to 25% temporary weight flexibility for qualifying ag loads (subject to bridge, road, and safety restrictions) and waive additional permit fees.
4. Safety Requirements Stay in Place
This plan does not suspend CDL requirements, hours‑of‑service rules, inspections, insurance, load securement, or other safety protections. Relief will not compromise highway safety.
5. Single Agency Application
One application. Clear eligibility. Straightforward documentation. Farmers shouldn’t have to navigate multiple agencies or excessive paperwork to receive relief.
6. Federal Partnership
North Dakota should join other states in requesting temporary federal dyed‑diesel penalty relief and action to rebuild domestic diesel supplies.
Leadership
The Agriculture Commissioner must immediately lead the response, convening the Governor, Tax Commissioner, legislators, farmers, truckers, and representatives from neighboring states.
“The Ag Commissioner may not hold every authority needed to execute this plan, but they are responsible for leading on ag policy on behalf of the farmers of this state.” - Vern Thompson
Stakeholders
Governor: Act on temporary ag truck weight limits, permit fees, and federal penalties on dyed diesel.
Tax Commissioner: Resolve state fuel-tax enforcement issues and implement required administrative changes.
Legislators: Work with the Ag Commissioner to establish a new state fuel-tax refund and secure legislative approval without delay.
Farmers, truckers, and neighboring states: Provide operational input, identify implementation barriers, and coordinate execution.
Former Agriculture Commissioner Sarah Vogel said about the current farm crisis compared to the 1980s, "We need an urgent reaction… because in many ways the crisis today is worse because there are fewer farmers today." - Sarah Vogel.
With relief on a 23-cent-per-gallon tax, every 10 million gallons of qualifying harvest fuel would put $2.3 million back into the hands of North Dakota farmers, ranchers, and ag haulers. A temporary 90-day refund could put millions of dollars directly back into the agricultural economy during the harvest of corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and sugar beets, and during fall work, reducing the cost of moving North Dakota's crops to market.
Contact:
Joanna Larson
Campaign Manager
Vern Thompson for ND Agriculture Commissioner
