Iowa is not only a national leader in corn, hog and egg production; our state is also the center of the food and farm transportation system in the U.S. 

Specifically, truck transportation is an important link in the U.S. food supply chain. Nearly 80% of all ag commodities (corn, soybeans, meat and poultry, etc.) are shipped by truck at some point, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

And each day, more than 500,000 farm animals — not including chickens and turkeys — are transported on Iowa roads, reports the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Modern livestock trailers, operated by...