Farmers struggling with high fuel prices

Independent -  American farmers harvesting two of the country's most vital crops, corn and soybeans, are confronting unprecedented diesel costs to operate their tractors, combines, and heavy machinery.

The surge in fuel prices creates further strain during a challenging year marked by rising expenditures for seeds, machinery, and fertilizer.

Global fuel supply disruptions linked to the ongoing six-month war with Iran drove U.S. diesel to a record average of $5.85 per gallon on Sept. 4.

Figures from AAA show rates continued upward, climbing to a national average of $6.05 a gallon on Friday.

"Those prices hurt," said Paul Mitchell, a professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Farmer Jason Kurtz, who voted for Trump, has seen his diesel expense double compared to last year

"And it’s not just the harvesting. It’s the hauling of everything, moving the grain or the silage from the field to the farm and then from the farm to wherever they're selling it."