Support for The Agricultural & Rural Road Improvement Program Act

Letter

Dear Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Chairman Rouzer, and Ranking Member Holmes Norton:

As organizations representing the United States’ agriculture industry and businesses who are proud to call Rural America home, we write to request your support for legislation introduced by Representative Mike Bost and Representative Josh Riley — the Agricultural and Rural Road Improvement Program Act (H.R. 4585 / ARRIP Act) — to improve the rural roads and bridges that are essential to rural communities and the rural economy, especially farmers and the industries that support and serve American agriculture.

Rural local roads and rural minor collectors are the one- and two-lane routes that provide first- and lastmile connectivity between farms and the places, essential products, and key facilities farmers and rural communities depend on for successful harvests, market access, and a vibrant economy. The same holds true for rural manufacturers shipping and receiving goods. These roads are vital to ensuring Rural America is competitive and connected to key markets.

Despite the essential role these roads and bridges play for farmers, supply chains, and rural communities, too many need modernization to address outdated designs, weight restrictions, capacity limitations, and safety challenges. These challenges lead to delays, increased costs, and greater safety risks for all motorists.

The agriculture sector directly feels these impacts, with the USDA finding that the first and last miles of an agricultural truck trip — the portion using rural local and minor collector roads — are the costliest part of the journey for a farmer or a farm-focused business due to delays and less direct routes. Further, the USDOT has found that 80% of the Nation’s weight-restricted bridges are on local roadways where agricultural equipment commonly travels. All these impact farmers, the efficiency of rural supply chains, and the prices consumers pay for food and other goods. The ARRIP Act would make important progress in addressing these challenges.

With state and local funds frequently focused on basic maintenance of these roads and bridges, the ARRIP Act reprioritizes nearly $1.5 billion over five years in existing highway formula funds toward replacing or rehabilitating rural bridges to eliminate posted weight limits, providing or increasing firstand last-mile access to a farm, agricultural facility, or other site supporting the economy of a rural area, or improving highway safety all while maintaining these funds’ formula status and important flexibilities for states.

The next highway reauthorization bill provides an opportunity to further deliver farmers and rural communities modern, safe, and efficient rural roads and bridges. We encourage you to include the ARRIP Act in the upcoming reauthorization bill.

Sincerely,

Agribusiness Association of Kentucky
Agribusiness Council of Indiana
Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference
Agricultural Retailers Association
Agriculture Transportation Coalition
Alabama Agribusiness Council
American Cotton Shippers Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Horse Council
American Livestock Markets and Dealers Association
American Malting Barley Association
American Seed Trade Association
American Sheep Industry Association
American Soybean Association
AmericanHort
Corn Refiners Association
Council of Producers & Distributors of Agrotechnology
CropLife America
DE-MD Agribusiness Association
Idaho Grain Producers Association
Illinois Soybean Growers
International Fresh Produce Association
Livestock Marketing Association of Texas
Louisiana Ag Industries Association
Minnesota AgriGrowth
Montana Agricultural Business Association
National Aquaculture Association
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Barley Growers Association
National Corn Growers Association
National Council of Famer Cooperatives
National Grain and Feed Association
National Grange
National Milk Producers Federation
National Sunflower Association
North American Millers’ Association
North American Renderers Association
North Dakota Agricultural Association
Ohio AgriBusiness Association
Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association
Pet Food Institute
Plant Food Association of North Carolina
Renewable Fuels Association
South Dakota Agri-Business Association
Soy Transportation Coalition
Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance
Texas Ag Industries Association
Texas Vegetation Management Association
The Fertilizer Institute
U.S. Canola Association
United Egg Producers
US Rice Producers Association
USA Pulses
USA Rice
Virginia Agribusiness Council
Washington Association of Wheat Growers
Western Plant Health Association
Wisconsin Agri-Business Association

August 19, 2025

The Agricultural Coalition

The Honorable Sam Graves
Chairman
Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Rick Larsen
Ranking Member
Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable David Rouzer
Chairman
Subcommittee on Highways & Transit
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Highways & Transit
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Support for The Agricultural & Rural Road Improvement Program Act