Across the American landscape, the ancient relationship between land, labor, and energy is being tested by forces far beyond any farmer's field. Record diesel prices — driven by war in Ukraine and instability near the Strait of Hormuz — have made the simple act of planting, harvesting, and moving food profoundly more costly, especially for small operators on the West Coast and beyond. What begins at the fuel pump does not end there; it travels through every truck, rail car, and grocery aisle, raising the quiet question of how much strain a food system can absorb before ordinary people feel it
Record diesel prices squeeze US farmers, threaten food cost surge
Small farmers and business owners face financial strain from elevated operating costs, threatening agricultural viability and livelihoods.