Gov. Bill Ritter will extend an emergency order to help farmers move a bumper crop of wheat to markets out of state.
A huge harvest this year was a boon to farmers but overwhelmed railroads and commercial carriers. Much of the wheat still remains in storage or on the ground.
In August, Gov. Ritter suspended motor-carrier laws through today so farmers could more easily get their grain to market. The order removes some restrictions on hiring vehicles that have farm license plates to transport the wheat.
While farmers said the effort helped, they still have millions of bushels of grain waiting to get to market.
Part of the problem is that farmers sold about 50 percent of their crop rather than the usual 17 percent, overwhelming the market, said Darrell Hanavan, executive director of the Colorado Association of Wheat Growers and the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee.
Kevin Kaufman, group vice president, agricultural products, for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, said last week on the Texas Gulf Coast, trains from 11 states were waiting to unload.
He said rule changes recently implemented would make loading and unloading crops more efficient so trains can return to states for more grain.
