US diesel prices at record $6: American farmers feel the heat as harvest season begins

US farmers are grappling with record-high diesel prices as the corn and soybean harvest begins, adding to their expenses. The national average price of diesel hit $5.85 a gallon on September 4, and climbed to $6.05 a gallon on Friday, making it 60% more expensive than before the US and Israel's war on Iran in February. This price surge is straining the finances of farmers who are already paying higher costs for fertilizers, seeds, equipment, chemicals, and other inputs.

According to Paul Mitchell, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the higher fuel costs impact not just harvesting but also the transportation of crops from fields to farms and eventually to buyers. Jason Kurtz, a corn and soybean farmer near Forest City, Missouri, said his fuel bill has doubled this year, with his combine burning about 200 gallons of diesel daily.

He expects to operate it for 30 days, and the increased fuel expenses are already eating into his bottom line. Kurtz, who has a tight budget, said he had to spend more on fertilizers and chemicals this year, exacerbating his financial strain. The surge in diesel prices has been fueled by a rise in crude oil costs due to disruptions in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz during the war, which has affected fuel supplies.

As the costs soar, farms with limited financial resources are struggling to cope with additional expenses. Some farmers, like Kurtz, have postponed certain farm work in the hope that diesel prices will decrease later.