The truth is, there’s no such thing as “farm-to-table” without a truck in between. Truckers are the backbone of our supply chain, ensuring families receive the goods they need. But ongoing challenges have disrupted access to essential items for years, and outdated regulations are keeping qualified workers from filling these critical roles. For example, many states allow 18- to 20-year-old truckers to transport goods within state lines, but federal law prohibits them from crossing state borders. A legal loophole even classifies picking up cargo from a port as "interstate transportation"—even if the final destination is within the same state. This means young commercial drivers can haul freight across Florida but can’t pick up shipments from a local port.

Whether it’s age restrictions or issues transferring military skills to the private sector, we need to cut the red tape that’s holding qualified drivers back from playing a crucial role in our supply chain.

While we've made progress in strengthening our supply chain, there’s more work to do.