South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden is directing the state's Department of Public Safety to temporarily ease enforcement of dyed diesel fuel restrictions on highways and public roads, a move that follows President Trump's executive order aimed at providing relief from high diesel prices through the end of the year.

The governor communicated the directive in a letter to the department. Rhoden said the easing applies to enforcement of the restrictions, rather than repealing the underlying rules themselves — meaning the temporary posture covers how state authorities handle dyed diesel use on public roads during the relief window.

Why does dyed diesel matter to farmers?

Dyed diesel is the red-dyed fuel typically sold at a tax advantage for off-road uses such as farming. Restrictions bar its use in on-highway applications. For growers, enforcement posture directly affects fuel logistics during periods when diesel prices are high and margins are squeezed.

The state action traces back to Washington. President Trump signed an executive order designed to provide relief from high diesel prices through the end of the year, and South Dakota's enforcement change is a state-level response aligned with that federal directive.

What changes on South Dakota roads?

According to the governor's letter:

• The Department of Public Safety will temporarily ease enforcement of dyed diesel restrictions.
• The eased posture covers highways and public roads.
• The relief is framed as temporary, tied to the executive order's timeframe running through the end of the year.

The directive comes from the governor's office rather than from a change in statute, which positions it as an enforcement decision within the executive branch's authority over the department.

What should producers watch next?

Operators in South Dakota who rely on dyed diesel for equipment should track how the Department of Public Safety implements the governor's letter in practice, and for how long the temporary posture remains in effect, given the executive order's relief window runs only through the end of the year.