Farmers feeling the pinch at the pump

We've all felt the pinch at the pump lately, but for some, high gas prices are more than just a headache, they're a threat to many Oklahomans' livelihood. <br/><br/>Area farmers are joining

Wednesday, May 4th 2005, 10:43 am

By: News On 6

We've all felt the pinch at the pump lately, but for some, high gas prices are more than just a headache, they're a threat to many Oklahomans' livelihood.

Area farmers are joining the push for alternative fuel sources before rising costs drive them out of business and they say ultimately drive food production out of this country. The News on 6's Heather Lewin went to a Mayes County farm to find out more.

â€œMost people don't have any idea. They think this is the ideal lifestyle, that farmers are rich. We handle money, but we don't get to keep a lot of it." And come harvest time this year, farmers like Johnathan Scheffel will likely be keeping even less. â€œCosts $200 to fill that tractor up with diesel. I can burn that in a day." With a combined 40-percent increase in fuel and fertilizer costs, he's practically planting dollar bills, about 90 per acre. All with no guarantee of an increase in the market price for his harvest.

"When we produce something, take it to town, we have to take what they give us." Scheffel says its basic business, when your investment is consistently higher than the profit you go bust. "The main thing we can hope for is a good yield." Just planted, this year's crop is already making him nervous; lack of rain is slowing its growth. The Scheffels have been on this land for generations.

Johnathan was born in a farmhouse, just like his father. He hopes his son will take over one day, but without a more affordable fuel source, the cost of running a place like this will keep rising, maybe too high for future generations to farm.

There is a possible solution to this problem, converting grain into gasoline. Bio-fuels are a renewable source of energy that many say could be the answer to our oil dependent economy. â€œMy fear is if we don't do something here, they're gonna get to the grocery store and it's gonna be like going to the gas station and we'll be paying you know, and they're gonna say what happened?"

State lawmakers are currently considering the "Oklahoma Bio-Fuels Development Act". Supporters say in addition to an alternative fuel source, the move would help the grain market, and the by-products could be used as cattle feed.