The hope is the price of hay will drop as a result.
Hickenlooper's executive order, signed into law Sunday, suspends permits necessary to authorize transports of large baled hay or baled livestock feed which may exceed lawful maximum height.
"Large areas of Colorado have experienced devastating damage from drought," the executive order says. "This has severely impacted the ability of Colorado livestock producers to acquire the requisite amount of feed for their animals. As winter approaches, such restrictions put Colorado livestock in severe danger and producers require immediate assistance to meet their feed requirements."
The order suspends rules that prevent the state from issuing single-trip, extra-legal permits for divisible loads of "baled hay" or "baled livestock feed" of heights ranging from 14 feet, 6 inches to 15 feet.
For Maury Boney, who raises cattle north of Johnstown, the executive order is welcome news.
He is getting his hay from 800 miles away because the drought means it isn't locally available.
The transport is expensive.
"Hay that we used to pay $65 a ton for, we're now paying $265," Bondy said. "[It's] definitely a struggle."
The transport of hay is part of why it costs so much to buy. Now that more hay can travel on one truck at a time, he hopes prices will drop.
"They'll be able to bring in full loads, and that'll bring down the cost of the hay," Bondy said.
The order will stay in effect until Oct. 21, 2012. But Gov. Hickenlooper could extend it at that time.
(KUSA-TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation with The Associated Press)