Diesel Prices Soar Past $7 per Gallon in Indiana, Affecting Farmers and Truck Drivers

Indiana's diesel prices have reached an all-time high, exceeding $7 per gallon in some areas. According to AAA, the state hit a record-breaking diesel price average of $6.53 per gallon on Friday. Donnie Lawson, co-owner of Lawson Land and Cattle Company, expressed his concern over the rising costs, stating that it 'doesn't make sense' to buy fuel at such high prices.

'This is the toughest it's ever been in agriculture,' Lawson said, adding that the rising diesel costs will have a ripple effect on food production. The current national average diesel price has also hit a record high of about $6.45 per gallon.

Michael Langemeier, a professor of agriculture economics at Purdue University, attributed the surge to 80% increase in input prices compared to last year's harvest season, when diesel averaged $3.78 per gallon. He warned that consumers may see costs passed down to them if corn and soybean prices don't continue to rise.

Langemeier also pointed out that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is contributing to rising costs, as well as the conflict in the Middle East. Truck drivers across the state are also feeling the pinch, with one CDL-A driver stating that 'everything touches a truck at one point or another.'