Feds To Leave Farmers Alone

Federal highway officials have abandoned a plan to regulate farmers who drive tractors and combines on highways and rural roads. A flood of complaints hit the Transportation Department from farmers and members of Congress from rural areas. The proposed rule would have required farmers to get licenses similar to those required of interstate, commercial truck drivers. Farmers feared costly work rules and training. They said the rules would have made it harder to find help. That's because many teens who work on family farms are too young to get a commercial license.