Conserving fuel on the farm

OHIO – With diesel prices on the rise – up nearly 50 cents from this time last year and a dollar higher than in 2004 – a little bit of savings can go a long way when it comes to taking steps to conserve fuel on the farm.

Randall Reeder, an Ohio State University Extension agricultural engineer, said that being diligent with farming tasks, however mundane or unimportant they may seem, can put a few extra dollars in a farmer’s pocket.

For many situations, every dollar saved in fuel may save a farmer $5 to $10 in total production costs, said Reeder. Your goal is to make a profit, so you don’t want to go all out to save a dollar in fuel if it’s going to cost you $2 in profit. But there are many simple things a farmer can do to save fuel that either won’t cost a thing or only cost very little.

Zanesville Times Recorder