Suspension of Weight Restriction for Trucks Extended to Dec. 31

State Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson announced on Thursday that, due to the cold weather, he asked for and received an extension of an executive order issued by Gov. Charlie Crist -- moving the suspension of weight restrictions for trucks which were set to expire on Dec. 17 until Dec. 31.

Once products such as citrus fall to the ground they are no longer salvageable, said Bronson.The faster farmers can harvest and transport their crops, the fewer losses they will experience. Getting these agricultural products to market quickly will also help consumers by helping avoid price hikes that can be caused by limited supply.

A longer time-period to harvest will help ensure that more crops can be salvaged, added Bronson. Processors can only handle a certain amount of products and it doesnt make sense to have crops rotting in a truck.

Incoming Commissioner Adam Putnam praised the decision.

I would like to thank Governor Crist and Commissioner Bronson for recognizing the needs of Florida farmers and taking swift action to ensure they are able to salvage as much of their crops as possible, said Putnam. Today's executive order extension will allow Florida farmers more time to harvest and transport commodities ultimately, helping consumers avoid price hikes that can be caused by a limited supply.