With harvest season here, fuel supply and pricing are top of mind for farmers. Jason Schwantz, Senior Vice President of Energy Going to Market for CHS, says while supplies in the Midwest have recently improved, demand will soon put pressure on the market.
“Fuel is a little more expensive, but from a year ago, it’s actually down,” Schwantz explains. “I think right now is actually a good time to buy. I think supply is going to get tighter as we go into that harvest because you’re just going to have heavy, heavy demand.”
Biodiesel is also playing a growing role in the fuel mix, with mandates in some states helping support soybean demand. Schwantz says it’s becoming a reliable complement to traditional fuel. “I think biodiesel has become a very, very good partner with, quite frankly, fossil diesel fuel. And I think you’re seeing a lot of use of it.”
His advice for farmers is simple: buy early and often. Stocking up now, he says, will ensure combines keep rolling.
Looking ahead, Schwantz says refiners are preparing for seasonal maintenance, which could tighten supply further toward the end of harvest. That makes early planning even more critical for farmers hoping to avoid fuel shortages when they can least afford downtime.
