STATEHOUSE (Oct. 5, 2026) – Boone County legislators welcomed Gov. Mike Braun’s recent announcement suspending special fuel restrictions for off-road diesel after they and other lawmakers urged the governor to provide relief for Hoosier farmers during harvest season.
Local lawmakers had urged the governor to take action and noted Indiana is seeing its highest ever recorded price for diesel fuel at almost $7 a gallon, with some areas of the state topping the $7 mark. Farmers are disproportionately impacted by these rising costs with standard agricultural operations during the harvest process using thousands of gallons of diesel.
“Being a farmer, I know how quickly fuel costs can add up during this time of year,” said State Rep. Hunter Smith (R-Zionsville), a member of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. “This flexibility will help Hoosier farmers keep more of their resources focused on getting the harvest done and delivering the food and products our state depends on.”
The governor suspended Indiana’s gas usage tax starting in April to address rising costs and reduce the strain on millions of Hoosiers, expanding the relief in May to include the gas excise tax. Those efforts led to Indiana having the lowest gas prices in the nation. Diesel prices, however, have remained high, which is placing a significant burden on farmers during harvest season.
“Hoosier motorists have been shielded from fuel cost increases, and our agriculture industry needs similar protections,” said State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton). “I hope this effort helps farmers contain costs as they work this fall to harvest their crops and sustain our food supply.”
To mitigate the pressures put on farmers, more than 50 legislators called for Gov. Braun to allow farmers to use off-road diesel fuel instead of highway diesel fuel in semi-trucks until Jan. 1, 2027, after harvest is completed. The governor’s recent declaration provides diesel tax relief for farmers and continues the suspension of gas use and excise taxes for all Hoosiers until Nov. 4, 2026.
State Rep. Becky Cash (R-Zionsville) applauded the governor’s announcement and swift action providing relief for farmers.
“Diesel prices don’t just affect what it costs a farmer to run a tractor across a field, they affect the cost of keeping our communities moving,” Cash said. “From planting and harvesting crops to putting a school bus on the road each morning, higher fuel costs create real pressures for families, farmers and schools. We need to keep looking for ways to reduce these costs and make sure Hoosiers can keep doing the work that keeps Indiana moving.”