State Sen. Page Walley of Bolivar is asking Gov. Bill Lee to grant a temporary dyed diesel exemption for Tennessee farmers, loggers, and agricultural and forestry haulers. Under the proposal, they could legally run off-road dyed diesel in vehicles on Tennessee roads through at least Nov. 15, 2026. If the governor acts, the relief would reach producers across Hardeman County, including the Middleton area just north of Walnut, as fall harvest and timber hauling pick up.
Walley made the request on Friday, Sept. 25, according to the Hatchie Press, which covers Hardeman County.
What a Dyed Diesel Exemption Would Mean
Dyed diesel is the red-tinted, untaxed fuel that farmers and loggers already use in tractors, skidders, irrigation pumps, and other off-road equipment. Because it doesn’t carry road-use fuel taxes, it normally can’t be burned in vehicles on public highways, and using it that way can bring penalties.
Walley’s request would temporarily let qualifying agricultural and forestry operators use it in the trucks and haulers that carry crops, livestock, and timber on public roads. He asked the governor to work with the Tennessee Department of Revenue and the General Assembly to find the legal way to put the exemption in place, and to look at longer-term solutions too.
Who would qualify: farmers, loggers, and agricultural and forestry haulers
How long: through at least Nov. 15, 2026, under Walley’s proposal
Status: a request only; as of Friday there was no public announcement of action by the governor
Fuel Costs Squeeze Rural Producers
Walley pointed to rising diesel and fuel prices as the reason for the request. “Everyone is hurting when it comes to gas and diesel prices,” he said, adding that agricultural and forestry producers “are facing substantially higher fuel and other operating expenses.”
“Agriculture and forestry are such important parts of our state’s economy, particularly in rural Tennessee,” Walley said.
Louisiana acted first. Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order on Sept. 23 that temporarily stops state penalties for using dyed diesel in registered farm and forestry vehicles. The order cited record diesel prices of more than $6 a gallon in that state.
Walley’s District Includes Hardeman County
Walley, a Republican from Bolivar, has represented Tennessee Senate District 26 since 2020. It’s the state’s largest legislative district and covers Hardeman, Chester, Fayette, Hardin, Haywood, Lawrence, McNairy, and Wayne counties. The district borders Mississippi, and many of its farmers and timber crews work land on both sides of the state line near Walnut and Middleton.
Keep in mind that the dyed diesel exemption would apply only on Tennessee roads, and only if the state approves it. Mississippi producers in Tippah and Benton counties would still fall under Mississippi’s own fuel rules. Dyed diesel is also regulated at the federal level, so a state waiver alone may not remove every penalty. Producers should wait for official guidance from the Tennessee Department of Revenue before changing how they fuel road vehicles.
Tippah News will update this story if the governor’s office responds.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
