Ohio Farm Bureau supports expanded use of dyed diesel

COLUMBUS – The administration recently issued an executive order easing restrictions on the use of tax-exempt dyed diesel fuel for on-road agricultural transportation.

“We appreciate the administration taking action to provide farmers with additional flexibility around dyed diesel at a time when every dollar matters,” said Bill Patterson, president of Ohio Farm Bureau. “Diesel fuel is essential to keeping Ohio farms running, especially during harvest, and the rapid increase in fuel costs has added another challenge to an already difficult farm economy.” 

Ohio Farm Bureau has also joined other Ohio agricultural organizations in sending a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine, asking to temporarily suspend state restrictions and penalties on the use of red-dyed diesel for legitimate agricultural activities.

Ohio Farm Bureau also supported House Bill 519, establishing a 90-day motor fuel tax holiday starting Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. This applied to both gasoline and on-road diesel, further saving families money at the pump. 

Harvest and other time-sensitive farm operations require large amounts of fuel, and many farmers already have dyed diesel on the farm that was purchased before the recent price spikes. The temporary allowance of dyed diesel for on-road agricultural transportation would give farmers greater flexibility to manage costs and keep harvest moving. 

“We appreciate these short-term measures to provide farmers relief, but they will not solve the deeper economic challenges facing our farm families,” Patterson emphasized. “Input costs remain high, margins remain tight and too many external factors are keeping a farmer’s bottom line out of their control. We need to keep working on long-term solutions that lower production costs, expand opportunities for homegrown biofuels and give our family farms the certainty they need to remain viable.”