STATEHOUSE (Oct. 1, 2026) – State Rep. Andrew Ireland (R-Indianapolis) welcomed Gov. Mike Braun's recent announcement suspending special fuel restrictions for off-road diesel after he and fellow lawmakers urged the governor to provide relief for Hoosier farmers during harvest season.
In a letter sent to the governor, Ireland and his colleagues 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.
"This is a critical time of year for our farmers, and we need to do whatever we can to help them with increasing costs," Ireland said. "This is a simple step we can take to lower that burden, and I'm glad to see governor respond so quickly."
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.
To mitigate the pressures put on farmers, Ireland, along with 51 other 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.
Ireland encourages constituents with any concerns regarding the diesel tax to contact his office at in.gov/h90 or call 317-232-9708.
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State Rep. Andrew Ireland (R-Indianapolis) represents House District 90,
which includes a portion of Marion County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
