$6 Diesel Hits Concho Valley Farmers at the Worst Possible Time

Record-high diesel prices are putting another strain on Concho Valley farmers as cotton harvest gets underway. Diesel recently climbed above six dollars a gallon, raising the cost of running tractors and harvesting equipment as well as transporting crops. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agronomist Reagan Noland says producers are having to decide whether some acreage will generate enough revenue to justify the expense of harvesting it. The additional fuel costs come as many producers are already dealing with drought-stressed crops and tight profit margins. Farmers also risk losing potential income if they leave otherwise productive acreage unharvested. Noland says producers are carefully weighing those costs as harvest continues.