Senator Marshall Urges USDA to Provide Diesel Relief for Farmers During Harvest
September 12, 2026
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the Trump Administration to work with Congress to provide temporary, targeted relief for farmers and ranchers facing rapidly rising diesel costs during the 2026 harvest season.
With the national average retail price of diesel reaching $5.967 per gallon as of September 7, producers are being hit with significant, unplanned fuel costs during one of the most diesel-intensive times of the year.
In the letter, Senator Marshall wrote:
“Most producers made their planting, financing, and marketing decisions months ago, before this latest price spike, and they must now absorb substantial unplanned fuel costs during one of the most diesel-intensive periods of the year.”
“A stable and secure food supply depends on financially viable farmers and ranchers. Helping producers withstand this sudden and largely unforeseen cost shock is therefore both an agricultural and national-security imperative.”
Background:
- Diesel prices are approaching $6 per gallon. The national average retail price reached $5.967 per gallon as of September 7, hitting producers as harvest gets underway.
- Diesel supplies remain exceptionally tight. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts domestic distillate inventories will fall below 100 million barrels in September and remain below the five-year low through the end of 2026 and most of 2027.
- Refineries have little room to increase production. U.S. refineries operated at 97.8 percent of capacity during the week ending September 4, limiting the ability to quickly boost diesel supplies.
- Senator Marshall is calling on USDA to work with the Administration and Congress to provide temporary, targeted relief for farmers and ranchers facing extraordinary diesel costs during the 2026 harvest and production year.
- Senator Marshall has worked on expanding ethanol and biodiesel supply through expansion of the RFS, and incentivizing production through the 45Z tax credit. These actions offer an affordable option at the pump for consumers and increases on-road transportation fuel supply.
Click here to read the full letter.
- Diesel prices are approaching $6 per gallon. The national average retail price reached $5.967 per gallon as of September 7, hitting producers as harvest gets underway.
- Diesel supplies remain exceptionally tight. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts domestic distillate inventories will fall below 100 million barrels in September and remain below the five-year low through the end of 2026 and most of 2027.
- Refineries have little room to increase production. U.S. refineries operated at 97.8 percent of capacity during the week ending September 4, limiting the ability to quickly boost diesel supplies.
- Senator Marshall is calling on USDA to work with the Administration and Congress to provide temporary, targeted relief for farmers and ranchers facing extraordinary diesel costs during the 2026 harvest and production year.
- Senator Marshall has worked on expanding ethanol and biodiesel supply through expansion of the RFS, and incentivizing production through the 45Z tax credit. These actions offer an affordable option at the pump for consumers and increases on-road transportation fuel supply.
Click here to read the full letter.
Source: U.S. Senator Roger Marshall
