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Farmer discusses rising costs of fuel, baling hay

Like many farmers around the country, Roger Baker of Ohio is facing record high input prices.

He says the cost of filling his on-farm fuel tank has changed drastically in recent years.

“In April of 2018, I filled my 2,000-gallon off-road tank once for 82 cents and once for 79 cents and I didn’t even hit the low that month,” he says. “In April of 2022, I filled that same tank at $4.03 and then one month later at $5.13.”

Baker operates a grain, hay, and cow-calf operation and says the cost of baling hay has also increased.

“In my business, we wrap large square bales of hay. Today I’m paying $119 a roll, which a few years ago I was in that $73-$74 a roll,” he says.

He discussed these concerns with lawmakers during the recent Ohio Farm Bureau Washington D.C. Leadership Experience.  

“Even though our commodity prices are trading higher, with the costs of our inputs we’re going to end up upside down real quick,” he says.

Baker is the Ohio Farm Bureau District 8 trustee, representing Wayne, Ashland, Medina, and Summit counties.

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