Every machine in farming requires a special kind of off-road diesel.

In June 2022, many Americans saw the average price at the fuel pump go to $5 a gallon for the first time ever. This not only spells trouble for those motorists but farmers, as well, since they need fuel to do their jobs.

"Whether it's diesel or gas, we use a lot of fuel in everything we do," said Genter-Bischer Farms member Rita Herford. "(Like) driving tractors, harvesting crops, caring for crops, transporting them from here to their final destination."

However, as the costs of farming go higher, so too does the cost of their crops. Prices are set  nationally by the Chicago Board of Trade, which takes the costs of things like seed and gas into account when setting the price of crops, livestock and other commodities.

"Input costs have gone up dramatically, but we've seen commodity prices increase to offset that," Herford said.

However, an alternative exists for farmers, though it's not widely used — biodiesel, made from plants and animals.

According to Houston Biodiesel, it's slightly cheaper than regular diesel, at $5.76 per gallon, as of June 16. However, it could turn into a long-term alternative for farmers in the current economy.

"If we see prices like this last long term, I could see alternatives being used," Herford said. "Everything needs to be economical."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable fuel manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease. Biodiesel meets both the biomass-based diesel and overall advanced biofuel requirement of the Renewable Fuel Standard. Renewable diesel, also called “green diesel,” is distinct from biodiesel.

Biodiesel is a liquid fuel often referred to as B100 or neat biodiesel in its pure, unblended form. Like petroleum diesel, biodiesel is used to fuel compression-ignition engines. See the table for biodiesel's physical characteristics.

Biodiesel performance in cold weather depends on the blend of biodiesel, the feedstock, and the petroleum diesel characteristics. In general, blends with smaller percentages of biodiesel perform better in cold temperatures. Typically, regular No. 2 diesel and B5 perform about the same in cold weather.

Both biodiesel and No. 2 diesel have some compounds that crystallize in very cold temperatures. In winter weather, fuel blenders and suppliers combat crystallization by adding a cold flow improver. For the best cold-weather performance, users should work with their fuel provider to ensure the blend is appropriate.

It's not without drawbacks. Biofuel feedstocks include many crops that would otherwise be used for human consumption directly, or indirectly as animal feed. Diverting these crops to biofuels may lead to more land area devoted to agriculture, increased use of polluting inputs, and higher food prices, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Also, biofuel production and processing practices can also release greenhouse gases. Fertilizer application releases nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Most biorefineries operate using fossil fuels. Some research suggests that greenhouse gas emissions resulting from biofuel production and use, including those from indirect land-use change, may be higher than those generated by fossil fuels, depending on the time horizon of the analysis, according to the EPA.

Additionally, research suggests that production of biofuel feedstocks, particularly food crops like corn and soy, could increase water pollution from nutrients, pesticides and sediment, and increases in irrigation and ethanol refining could deplete aquifers, according to the EPAs website.