Diesel prices rise above $6.50 a gallon as West Michigan farmers head into harvest

Diesel prices in Portland reached $6.59 a gallon, adding cost to the harvest process for local farmers. Owner Jeff Sandborn of Sandborn Farms noted a 70 percent increase in fuel costs since the Iran War began, and said diesel is everywhere in the fall season.

GasBuddy’s petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan had warned that diesel prices could climb to around $5 a gallon if global tensions eased, but prices have since surpassed $6. Sandborn says there’s little opportunity to cut back on fuel use during harvest, so he must keep diesel in the tank daily to keep harvesting moving.

Higher fuel costs may eventually affect grocery prices, Sandborn said, and he expects the impact to show up in six months. For now, the farm business remains business as usual, and the harvest must keep moving regardless of the price at the pump.

Read the full story at fox17online.com.