News

Dec 07, 2023

What's more expensive in farming this year? 'Everything'

F rederick Phillips can tick off the items he needs to run his cattle ranch near

Frederick Phillips can tick off the items he needs to run his cattle ranch near Baker City that cost much more now than they did a year ago.

The list is a long one.

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According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, farmers in

April 2022 compared to April 2021 paid:

• 29% more for livestock feed

• 71% more for fertilizer

• 16% more for chemicals

• 62% more for fuel

• 21% more for machinery

"We burn a lot of fuel, and it's a huge cost."

— M.T. Anderson, Grant County cattle rancher

"Something's got to change on the production costs. We can't sustain this. It makes you wonder how you can stay in business. It's scary."

— Mark Ward, Baker Valley farmer

"It is going to be a really challenging year for guys that have cattle and raise hay with those escalating costs."

— Todd Nash, Wallowa County rancher and president of the Oregon Cattlemen's Association

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