Why Diesel Prices Are Crushing NY Farmers (And What To Do About It)

Their situation was already precarious. In 2025, New York lost farms at double the national average rate and farmland five times faster. For many farm families struggling to stay afloat, the price of diesel can be the difference between turning a modest profit and going into foreclosure.

A recent Joint Economic Committee report quantifies the impact of high diesel prices on our agricultural sector. At the peak of the 2026 spring planting season, a typical New York farmer paid an extra $1,500 each time they refilled their fuel storage tank. That farmer would also have shelled out an additional $200 per fill-up for a grain truck and $240 for a tractor.

Diesel prices have risen significantly since then, and the fuel-intensive work of harvest is already underway.