Metro East

Farmers in Freeburg, Illinois, and elsewhere are contending with sharply higher operating costs as harvest season gets underway, with diesel fuel prices around $6.45 per gallon, according to AAA data. The fuel is essential for running combines and transporting crops, and the spike is straining farm budgets at a critical point in the season.

Paul Beisiegel, an eighth-generation Metro East farmer, said growers have little ability to pass on higher costs, since both crop prices and input costs like seed and equipment are largely set by buyers and suppliers. To cope, he has worked with organizations including the St. Clair County Farm Bureau and Illinois Farm Bureau to arrange contracted fuel services.

The pressure has drawn political attention: the White House is reportedly evaluating a possible restriction on diesel exports, while Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has called for a nationwide suspension of the federal gas tax, citing added costs of 20 to 30 cents per gallon. The situation highlights how energy costs are increasingly intertwined with agricultural policy debates.