The free tool comes from the Soy Transport Coalition
A tool is available to help farmers determine their best grain delivery options this fall.
The Soy Transport Coalition’s free calculator gives farmers a clearer picture of how fuel costs, distance, and other factors ultimately play into their bottom lines.
“Farmers must not only be mindful of the price received, but also the costs associated with transporting their soybeans, or other commodities, to market,” the calculator says.
Farmers can input data like total bushel capacity of the semi truck, cost of fuel per mile, mileage to the delivery point, and the spot price for the delivered commodity.
Producers can also input values if they’re paying for commercial delivery.
From there the calculator does the rest of the work to support farmers in their decision making.
With high fuel costs affecting the current harvest season, producers may want to revisit their original plans.
“When the cost of the journey becomes significantly higher due to diesel fuel, farmers may need to revisit whether their longstanding delivery locations for their soybeans, corn, wheat, or other commodities truly remain the most profitable decision,” said Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition. “While the cost of fuel is not the only factor determining a delivery location, it most certainly is an influential one.”