Diesel prices surge to record high, squeezing local farmers like Ryan Jenkins

Diesel fuel has hit a record national high of $5.85 per gallon, breaking a record that had stood since 2022, according to AAA. The spike is hitting local farmers especially hard as they face mounting operational costs at a critical time.

Jay farmer Ryan Jenkins says the jump is showing up directly in his bottom line. A single hauling trip to sell corn in Laurel, Mississippi, now costs him close to $900 in fuel alone—up from about $3.71 per gallon a year ago. The surge is largely driven by the ongoing conflict with Iran, which has disrupted global energy markets.

The timing couldn't be worse for Jenkins and other local agricultural producers. Farmers are still waiting on Congress to pass a new farm bill, something that hasn't happened since 2018. The current extension of that 2018 bill runs out September 30th, leaving producers in limbo.

The House passed its version of the farm bill in April on a narrow 224 to 200 vote, but the Senate Agriculture Committee hit a roadblock. The committee tried to advance its own version in August but couldn't get it out of committee, prompting the chairman to call an indefinite recess on the effort. Without further Congressional action, the current extension will expire at month's end, potentially leaving farmers without key support programs heading into 2025.