As planting progresses, only costs are growing
Staff writer
As planting season progresses, rising fuel, fertilizer, and chemical costs are weighing on farmers across Marion County, leaving producers with little flexibility to adjust.
Input prices remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels, squeezing margins for operations that must move forward regardless of market conditions.
“It’s on everybody’s mind,” director and agriculture agent extension agent Rickey Roberts said.
Diesel prices, which last surged above $5 per gallon in 2022, remain higher than historical averages, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Nitrogen fertilizer costs roughly doubled during that same period, according to the USDA Economic Research Service.
Fertilizer, fuel, and chemicals account for the majority of variable costs for many Kansas crop operations, according to Kansas State University Research and Extension.
Those expenses leave farmers with limited options.
While some producers may consider shifting acres from corn to soybeans to reduce nitrogen use, most input costs cannot be avoided.
“You can’t get around the input cost,” Roberts said.
Unlike other industries, farmers cannot pause production or pass rising costs on to consumers.
“A farmer can’t just say diesel’s too high so I won’t buy any,” Roberts said.
Lack of control is adding to concerns about profitability.
“Being a grain farmer doesn’t look real profitable to me,” Roberts said.
The impact extends beyond individual operations in rural counties like Marion, where agriculture plays a central role in the local economy.
“When agriculture is profitable here, our local economy is good and it’s strong,” Roberts said.
For now, producers are moving ahead with planting, balancing high input costs with the need to maintain yields as many factors remain outside their control.