Alabama governor pauses dyed diesel checks for four months to aid farmers

Kay Ivey issued an immediate order halting enforcement actions aimed at detecting dyed diesel in commercial vehicles for a period of 120 days, directing the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to concentrate on inspections that address public-safety threats on the road. Dyed diesel, marked with red dye, is exempt from state and most federal excise taxes when used off-road, and its cost advantage is vital for farm and timber equipment.

Ivey explained that soaring diesel prices are hurting the state’s agricultural and timber sectors during the harvest season, which runs through mid-November. She also instructed Revenue Commissioner Mary Martin Mitchell to request temporary relief from the IRS’s penalties for improper dyed diesel use. ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor confirmed the agency will carry out the directive while maintaining its highway-safety mission. The pause does not remove federal tax rules, but it provides short-term relief to producers facing higher fuel expenses.