Kansas farmers say costs of diesel are unsustainable

WELLINGTON, Kan. — Diesel prices are approaching $6 a gallon for the first time ever, and farmers across Kansas are taking a hit.

Farmers use diesel for everything, and after a dry summer, they say it’s too much for their wallets.

“There ain’t no light at the end of the tunnel,” said Bob White, a farmer.

Prices up 62% from last year

White has been farming in Wellington for 59 years. He said he has never seen diesel prices this high.

“It’s sixty-two percent over what it was this time last year,” White said.

Diesel prices are nearing $6 a gallon in the Wichita area. White said he is already feeling it.

“Diesel powers everything on the farm. If you don’t have diesel, you can’t do anything,” White said.

A rough year for farmers

It has already been a rough year for farmers like White. He said they did not have much of a wheat crop because of drought, and the corn was “just okay.” With rising diesel prices, he said he does not know how much more he can take.

“It’s not good. We’re probably to a breaking point here pretty quick. That means people closing out, farmers giving up,” White said.

Asked whether he thinks he will have to sell his farm, White said, “Try not to think about it.”

He said it is not just diesel that has gotten more expensive.

“Then you have fertilizer you need to look at, and it jumped up last spring. We import that from Canada,” White said.

Comparisons to the 1980s farm crisis

White said the situation reminds him of what he described as a dark time for farmers.

“We are approaching the 80s farm crisis, where you have people being sold out, farmers committing suicide,” White said.

He said farmers are being squeezed out of their money and just want relief.

“The fix would be a market, and get the geopolitical people out of my market,” White said.

White is hopeful that upcoming rain will help. He said their situation will not improve until the war in Iran ends and diesel prices go down.