Farm state US senators say energy inflation compounded by the war in Ukraine is crushing farm profits, and the White House needs to reverse its energy policies, now.
Nebraska Senator Deb Fisher says farmers are making planting decisions now but face big uncertainty over costs and markets.
“The cost of fertilizer is up 200 percent, gas prices are at an all-time high, and they have been rising for months.”
And here’s South Dakota Senator John Thune.
“It takes so much more to put a crop into the ground these days. You’ve got higher diesel fuel costs, higher fertilizer costs, you have higher equipment costs. But a big part of it is energy.”
Now, Arkansas Senator John Boozman comments on inflation from February last year to February of this year (2022).
“Natural gas, up 48 percent, diesel fuel, up 54 percent, and then fertilizer up 171 percent.”
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven also weighed in.
“I’m talking to farmers and ranchers, and they’re worried that they aren’t going to be able to get anhydrous and other fertilizer and other inputs. So, yes, they are very concerned about that.”
The republican lawmakers argue it’s time for the democratic White House to reverse policy and turn to more homegrown domestic energy like biofuels. Again, South Dakota Senator John Thune.
“Biofuels, biodiesel, higher blends of ethanol like E15 are readily available to displace Russian oil.”
But, Thune complains the White House “doesn’t seem interested,” instead focusing on electric vehicles. He argues, “they need to get interested and get interested in a hurry.”
Comments