Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte issued an executive order Monday suspending several motor carrier regulations to help ranchers secure hay for their cattle during ongoing drought conditions, the Daily Montanan reported. The temporary waiver lifts hours-of-service limits for truck drivers and relaxes load size restrictions for certain carriers hauling hay across the state.
A Recurring Tool for Agricultural Emergencies
This is not the first time Gianforte has reached for this mechanism. According to the Governor’s Office, he issued similar waivers in 2021, 2024, and 2025 for reasons ranging from wildfire response to fuel delivery and hay hauling. The new order runs through September 13, 2026.
The executive order cites a separate drought declaration from 2021, noting that Montana has faced dry to severely dry conditions for six consecutive years. Hay is typically cut through summer and into fall in Montana, and prolonged drought can significantly reduce the forage cattle can graze, pushing ranchers to purchase more supplemental feed at a time when supplies may already be tight.
State Agriculture Director Frames It as Red Tape Reduction
Montana Department of Agriculture Director Jillien Streit framed the waiver in terms the Gianforte administration has consistently favored — reducing regulatory burden on working producers. “When our producers are facing tight supplies and economic pressures, they do not need to also battle regulatory provisions that can slow down the essential movement of feed,” Streit told the Daily Montanan in a press release from the Governor’s Office.
Streit added that hours-of-service requirements can become a bottleneck specifically in volatile market conditions, and she credited the governor for moving quickly to address the problem.
Gianforte echoed that framing in the same release. “With the persistent drought, it was essential that we eliminate any roadblocks that threaten the viability of our producers and their operations,” he told the Daily Montanan.
Narrow Scope, Short Window
The Governor’s Office specified that the relaxed rules apply to “certain carriers” — not all commercial trucking. The order is temporary by design, expiring in under two weeks. That short timeline reflects the targeted nature of the action: moving feed supplies before fall grazing conditions deteriorate further.
The executive order fits within a broader pattern of Gianforte using administrative tools to address agricultural and economic disruptions without waiting for legislative action. The governor’s task force on licensing reform has similarly aimed at reducing regulatory friction across state agencies, though that effort targets a wider range of industries than agriculture alone.
Montana’s 2026 primary and general election cycles have kept agriculture policy in focus, with ranching and farming communities representing a key constituency for statewide candidates. Drought-related executive actions offer incumbents a visible opportunity to demonstrate responsiveness to rural concerns ahead of the November 3 general election.
