A newly penned law sponsored by Sen. Patty Ritchie will cut registration fees on trailers used for transporting produce and livestock in half.

It’s unclear how much savings farmers in St. Lawrence County would see under the proposal, as the County DMV does not distinguish registrations fees between vehicles and trailers, according to St. Lawrence County Clerk Mary Lou Rupp.

However, the savings would likely be minimal based on numbers provided by Ritchie.

Currently, the fee to register a trailer is $5.39 per 500 pounds. Under the new law, the registration fee for agricultural trailers will be reduced to $2.50 per 500 pounds.

Under the measure (S. 4241-B) sponsored by Sen. Ritchie, who serves as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Assemblywoman Gunther, who serves on the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee, trailers used for farming purposes will be charged a smaller fee, bringing the cost in line with trucks used for agriculture.

“Farming isn’t just a land intensive businesses, it’s a transportation intensive business, with agribusiness professionals logging countless miles annually to move produce, livestock, supplies and other goods,” Ritchie said.

“By lowering the registration fee for agricultural trailers, we are cutting costs for farmers, which in turn, will allow them to further expand their businesses and support the continued growth of New York’s leading industry.”

Ritchie represents the western half of St. Lawrence County including Ogdensburg, Canton and Gouverneur, plus parts of Jefferson and Oswego counties. She also serves on the state’s agricultural committee.