Rep. Smaltz: Governor answers lawmakers' call to provide diesel fuel relief for farmers

STATEHOUSE (Oct. 1, 2026) – State Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) 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, Smaltz and his colleagues noted Indiana is seeing its highest ever recorded price for diesel fuel at almost seven dollars a gallon, with some areas of the state topping the seven-dollar mark. Farmers are disproportionately impacted by these rising costs with standard agricultural operations during the harvest process using thousands of gallons of diesel.

"Harvest season is one of the most important times of the year for our farmers, and rising fuel costs only add to the challenges they face," Smaltz said. "Providing this relief will help ease some of that burden so farmers can focus on getting crops out of the fields and into the hands of those who depend on them."

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, Smaltz, 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 January 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.

Smaltz encourages constituents with any concerns regarding the diesel tax to contact his office at in.gov/h52 or call 317-234-9450.

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State Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) represents House District 52,
which includes all of DeKalb County, and portions of Noble and Steuben counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.

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