LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Inflation is impacting many farms across Central PA including Star Rock Farms, a third-generation family business in Lancaster County.
"Fertilizer prices are up 3 times from where they were last year at this time," Abe Barley, CEO of Star Rock Farms, said.
The rising costs of fuel is also directly impacting his business.
"Machines that are using 25 gallons per hour, that is significant in the amount of extra dollars per hour that it costs to operate those machines," Barley explained.
The combine Barley uses to harvest his wheat, soybeans and corn costs him roughly $1,000 a day in diesel fuel.
Prior to the spike in prices, Barley said they tried to prepare ahead.
"We did have some fuel that we had locked in earlier so we did pre-purchase some fuel but not all of it," he said.
Today's average price of diesel fuel is $5.35 a gallon, that's an increase of nine cents over the past week.
If these prices continue to go up, Barley says he'll manage as farmers are an innovative bunch.
"We'll figure out other ways to do things to be able to stay competitive and to stay afloat," he said.