NMFC Docket 2026-2 includes a focused proposal for the Farm Equipment Group. For shippers moving these products through LTL freight, the proposal brings several existing item-specific classifications under one broader classification structure.
The change appears under Subject 21 and covers farm, dairy, livestock, poultry, garden, and orchard equipment. Before looking at its effect on shippers, it helps to understand what NMFTA is proposing for these existing classifications.
What Farm Equipment Freight Class Changes Does NMFC Docket 2026-2 Propose?
NMFC Docket 2026-2 proposes canceling 50 existing items in the Farm Equipment Group and referring the covered articles to one new consolidated item.
The proposed item is titled “Farm, Dairy, Garden, Livestock, Orchard or Poultry Equipment.” Instead of keeping many of these products under separate NMFC items, the proposal brings them together under one broader listing.
This change affects how farm equipment freight class is determined for the products included under this proposed item.
The proposed item covers equipment such as:
- Barn litter and manure conveyors
- Grain bins and grain elevators
- Poultry brooders
- Livestock chutes and guards
- Dairy equipment
- Egg graders
- Garden and orchard equipment
- Incubators
- Loading ramps
- Silos
- Feed racks
- Stalls
- Livestock waterers
The proposal also includes broader “Not Otherwise Indicated (NOI)” descriptions for equipment that fits within these categories but is not specifically named.
Once these articles move under the proposed item, farm equipment freight class is determined using the FCDC’s standard 13-subprovision density scale.
The shipment’s density falls within a density range, and that range corresponds to the applicable freight class.
So, the proposal does not give every farm equipment shipment one new class. The class depends on the density of the shipment.
Why Is NMFTA Proposing Changes to the Farm Equipment Group?
The Farm Equipment Group currently has many separate NMFC items. Each item covers different types of equipment, which makes it harder to know which classification applies to a shipment.
In some cases, the freight class changes based on how the equipment is prepared for shipping or how it is packaged.
To review whether this classification approach still fits the way farm equipment moves through LTL freight, the FCDC reviewed the transportation characteristics of the Farm Equipment Group.
The review found no unusual or significant handling, stowability, or liability concerns for these commodities. Based on this review, NMFTA identified density as the primary transportation characteristic for the group.
This is why Subject 21 proposes moving the covered equipment under one consolidated item that uses the standard 13-tier density scale instead of maintaining multiple item-specific class provisions.
Subject 21 is part of NMFC Docket 2026-2 and remains a proposed change until NMFTA publishes the final disposition.
What Happens to the Existing Notes and Packaging Provisions?
While Subject 21 proposes moving many Farm Equipment Group items under one consolidated item, it does not remove every existing condition. Some Notes continue under the proposed structure because they address specific equipment requirements.
Seven existing Notes are proposed for cancellation and reestablishment under the new item. These Notes continue to provide conditions for certain equipment, including:
| Proposed treatment | Examples covered |
|---|---|
|
Notes reestablished under the new item |
Poultry heating equipment, livestock guards, tank heaters, incubators, manure scrapers, and certain livestock waterers |
|
Notes canceled with no further application |
Aluminum percentage requirements for certain grain-storage bins, dimensional conditions for certain livestock troughs or pans, and the definition of “united inches” |
For example, some reestablished Notes continue to address specific situations, such as livestock guards used on vehicle crossings, tank heaters used for heating or tempering water in open stock tanks, and manure scrapers made from used pneumatic tire segments with metal brackets.
Packaging requirements also remain part of the proposal. The FCDC’s Lead Classification and Packaging Analyst reviewed the proposed minimum packaging requirements and determined that they are appropriate for the LTL environment.
Overall, Subject 21 simplifies the classification structure by consolidating many items, but it still keeps certain Notes where NMFTA identified a need for specific conditions.
What Happens to the Existing Notes and Packaging Provisions?
While Subject 21 proposes moving many Farm Equipment Group items under one consolidated item, it does not remove every existing condition. Some Notes continue under the proposed structure because they provide additional conditions for specific types of equipment. Other Notes are proposed for removal because they are no longer needed under the new classification approach.
The proposal includes changes to seven existing Notes and three existing Notes.
| Proposed treatment | What it means |
|---|---|
|
Seven Notes are proposed for cancellation and reestablishment |
These conditions continue under the proposed new item for specific equipment. |
|
Three Notes are proposed for cancellation with no further application |
These conditions are removed from the classification structure. |
The Notes that continue under the proposed item cover equipment-specific conditions for products such as poultry heating equipment, livestock guards, tank heaters, incubators, manure scrapers, and certain livestock waterers.
For example, these Notes continue to address specific situations such as livestock guards used on vehicle crossings, tank heaters used for heating or tempering water in open stock tanks, and manure scrapers made from used pneumatic tire segments with metal brackets.
The Notes proposed for removal include conditions related to the permitted aluminum percentage for certain grain-storage bins, dimensional requirements for certain livestock troughs or pans, and the definition of “united inches.”
Packaging requirements also remain part of the proposal. The FCDC’s Lead Classification and Packaging Analyst reviewed the proposed minimum packaging requirements and determined that they are appropriate for the LTL environment.
Overall, Subject 21 simplifies the Farm Equipment Group by combining many items under one proposed classification structure, while keeping specific Notes where NMFTA identified a need for additional conditions.
What Does the Proposed Change Mean for Shippers of Farm Equipment?
For shippers, the main thing to understand is how the proposed changes affect the farm equipment freight class applied to the products they move.
If this change moves forward, it is worth reviewing:
- The NMFC item currently used for the equipment and whether it appears among the 50 items included in the proposal.
- The equipment description under the new Farm, Dairy, Garden, Livestock, Orchard or Poultry Equipment item.
- The shipment density, as the proposed item uses the 13-tier density scale to determine the freight class.
- Any Notes that continue with the new item and whether they apply to the equipment being shipped.
This proposal only covers the Farm Equipment Group items listed in Subject 21. It does not include every type of agricultural equipment, so other machinery may continue under different NMFC items or separate proposals.
For now, these changes remain proposals under NMFC Docket 2026-2. Shippers can review the proposed updates, but the final classification approach will depend on NMFTA’s final disposition.