WNC News -- October 8, 2026: North Carolina farmers are receiving crucial relief during the harvest season following a temporary directive from Governor Josh Stein regarding the use of red-dyed diesel fuel. The measure, effective from October 1 through December 31, 2026, aims to alleviate financial strain on the region's diverse agricultural landscape, from small family farms to larger operations, and help ensure local produce remains affordable for Asheville families.
On September 30, 2026, Governor Stein directed North Carolina Department of Revenue Secretary McKinley Wooten to suspend state enforcement of penalties against using red-dyed diesel for highway travel connected with agricultural operations. This action responds to sharply rising fuel costs, with diesel prices cited at approximately $6.25 per gallon during the harvest period, when farm machinery, trucks, and crop-hauling vehicles consume significant quantities of fuel.
Red-dyed diesel, also known as off-road or farm diesel, is typically intended for equipment that does not use public roads and is generally exempt from highway fuel taxes. Under North Carolina law, using this fuel in a highway vehicle can lead to state criminal and civil penalties. The temporary suspension allows farmers to use existing supplies of this fuel for highway travel related to their agricultural activities without facing state penalties.
The relief applies to any person who sells or uses dyed diesel fuel for highway use connected to farming or agricultural activity. This policy is particularly relevant to Western North Carolina., where producers face elevated operating costs during harvest and where Transporting produce to markets in the Greater Asheville Area can increase fuel consumption. The measure is intended to reduce cost pressure on farmers and, indirectly, limit upward pressure on food prices for households in Asheville and surrounding communities.
The directive followed a request from the North Carolina Farm Bureau and a coalition of agricultural and timber producers. By allowing farmers to use existing inventories of non-taxed dyed diesel during agriculture’s most fuel-intensive period, the policy could help them avoid immediately purchasing higher-priced highway-grade diesel. As of October 8, 2026, the state penalty-relief policy remains in effect through December 31, 2026, providing a limited but crucial form of support for Western North Carolina's agricultural community.
Excerpt from a North Carolina Governor’s Office Oct 7, 2026 Press Release
This relief comes as diesel prices reach record highs, with the price per gallon reaching $6.25 in North Carolina in September.
With farmers already feeling the squeeze of tariffs, drought conditions, and the war, North Carolinians are welcoming Governor Stein’s action as timely relief. that will help ease the burden on farm operations and reduce the upward pressure on the cost of food for families. Read their perspectives below.
Shawn Harding, President of the North Carolina Farm Bureau: “North Carolina Farm Bureau greatly appreciates Governor Josh Stein’s action providing farmers timely and meaningful relief as they face record-high diesel prices at harvest time. Diesel expenses have been the number one concern I’ve heard from farmers in what has already been a challenging year. This action came less than a day after Governor Stein received a letter from the North Carolina Farm Bureau and the agricultural community asking for help, and we are truly grateful for these effective and practical measures toward protecting and preserving North Carolina’s farm businesses.”
John Hatcher, Ph.D. Executive Director of the North Carolina Forestry Association: “The North Carolina Forestry Association applauds Governor Stein’s recent actions to allow red-dyed diesel on the road. This will bring much needed, immediate relief to the hardworking people within NC’s forest products industry.”
Todd Waters, President of Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, Inc.: “Fuel has been one of the biggest costs for growers this year. Including gins in this relief means savings that support the whole cotton harvest in North Carolina, according to Todd Waters, president of Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, Inc. We appreciate the Governor's office for acting quickly.”
Bob Etheridge, Former U.S. Representative: “North Carolina farmers have been under tremendous stress. Their costs for fertilizer and seed have risen dramatically, and they’re continuing to see damage to their international market due to the President’s trade war. Governor Stein’s decision to act on farm diesel will help bring down costs for the North Carolina growers that make up our state’s largest industry. If North Carolina doesn’t stand by its farmers, we risk losing this vital industry for our state’s overall economy, and I’m glad to see that the Governor is supporting them in their time of need.”
Phillip Farland, former North Carolina state director of the USDA Farm Service Agency: "Anytime the price of diesel goes up, it impacts a farmer’s bottom line. With diesel well over $6 a gallon due to the federal government’s war in Iran, North Carolina farmers are in an unprecedented no man’s land, many worrying if they can keep their family farms afloat. I thank Governor Stein for his commitment to our state’s farmers by allowing them to use red-dyed diesel on state roads. This is much-needed support for the farmers who find themselves in a distressed situation because of skyrocketing costs.”
Davis Speed, Farmer: “Small farmers need all the help they can get, and the Governor letting them use red-dyed diesel off-farm will alleviate some of the stress their facing. The price of fuel trickles down to just about everything from transporting feed to harvesting crops. There isn’t a farmer in North Carolina who hasn’t seen their input prices go up because of the global market instability. The Governor has recognized this problem and stepped up to support farmers.”
Dorathy Barker, Farmer and Executive Director of Operation Spring Plant: “I know too many small family farmers wondering if they’re going to have to shut their doors because of the year’s bad drought and the increased costs of inputs like fertilizer and machinery. Now that it’s harvest season, those same farmers are having to drive their produce and livestock to market and seeing the price of diesel fuel at record highs. Governor Stein allowing farmers to use the red-dyed diesel they already have stored on their farms for transport is a big deal for growers. I appreciate the Governor for understanding what North Carolina farmers are going through and finding a way to give them some much needed relief.”
Pender Sharp, President of Sharp Farms, Inc.: “North Carolina farming is an industry that helps keep the world fed three times a day. It’s a tremendous economic engine for the state, and, from the combines in the fields to the trucks that go to marketplace, it runs on diesel. Farmers have to lay out their costs a year in advance, but it’s near impossible to budget for price increases as dramatic as the high cost of diesel we’re seeing now. I greatly appreciate Governor Stein and his team for looking for ways to combat the disaster that has been created for farms. We can’t risk putting North Carolina farms out of business, and the Governor’s actions show that North Carolina is still dedicated to its farmers.”