Iowa Department of Agriculture Encourages Filtration of Diesel Fuel for Farm and Off-Road Equipment

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has been working with pipeline terminal operators, fuel retailers and petroleum marketers following some reports of dispenser fuel filter plugging at several diesel fuel retailers in central and northeast Iowa.  Some of the diesel fuel in the system has been clogging the 30 micron fuel filters that are required by Iowa law to be on retail diesel fuel pumps.

The filters required at retail locations have been effective.  The Department has received no reports of any vehicles having diesel fuel-related issues. Though dispenser filters have been effective in preventing any vehicle issues, retailers are exercising additional caution by replacing filters at shorter intervals to prevent any potential issues.

On-farm and private diesel fuel tanks and dispensers are not legally required to have the same 30 micron filters as retail equipment.  As a result, farmers and others with bulk diesel fuel tanks may want to consider options to filter the diesel in their fuel storage tanks through a 30 micron or finer filter before it is placed in their equipment.

Also, if farmers or others with private fuel tanks do have issues with their equipment’s fuel system, they may want to first consider checking the impacted equipment’s fuel filter.
The Department is continuing to work with industry representatives to understand what is causing the issue.  If any Iowan does have an issue, they can report it to the Department’s Weights and Measures Bureau at 515-725-1492.