Farmers and ranchers can cut costs, maintain production, protect soil and water resources, reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels and save money by using energy-saving conservation practices.
The Savings Add Up
Producers with animal feeding operations can save up to $250 million annually nationwide by regularly maintaining their ventilation and heating systems and using more energy-efficient fixtures and equipment for animal housing.
Converting irrigation systems from medium or high pressure to low pressure could cut energy costs by up to $100 million annually.
Improving water efficiency by just 10 percent could reduce diesel consumption by 27 million gallons and save farmers and ranchers $55 million annually.
Doubling the amount of no-till acreage (from 62 million acres to 124 million acres) could save farmers and ranchers an additional 217 million gallons of diesel fuel per year, valued at about $500 million annually.
Doubling the application of manure-based nitrogen to replace fertilizer produced from natural gas could save $825 million and 100 billion of cubic feet of natural gas annually.
Reducing application overlap on 250 million acres of cropland could save up to $825 million in fertilizer and pesticide costs annually.
