After working through one of the state's worst droughts in nearly 40 years last summer, Minnesota farmers are bracing for what appears to be another bumpy road ahead.
"There's a lot of uncertainty right now and that's not even adding-in the Ukraine and Russia situation," Minnesota Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen said on Monday. "With input costs for farmers whether it's fertilizer, trucking, fuel, or anything else. However, that is offset by really strong crop prices right now."
On Monday, AAA reported the average price for a gallon of diesel in Minnesota was $4.34 compared to $4.61 nationally.
"You're really looking at prices doubling from one year ago to now," Petersen said. "Diesel and fertilizer have basically doubled and that is a concern for farmers. Many saw it coming and purchased what they could."
Petersen said the high prices might force producers to get creative throughout the year.
"We could see some creative tillage and different planting that farmers could be doing as well. We could see more manure used as fertilizer compared to synthetic."
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Russia's continue onslaught in Ukraine will likely have a direct impact on Minnesota farmers as well. In fact, both Russia and Ukraine account for the world's top wheat exporters.
Petersen wheat will continue to play a big role in Minnesota, which grows around 1 million acres annually.
"I don't think we're going to see more acres, but I do think consumers will see higher prices at the store whether it's for baked goods, or for meat," Petersen added. "We will see higher prices for meat as well as we're already seeing expensive corn and soybeans get fed to animals."
Petersen noted that rising cases of avian flu are once again putting Minnesota's poultry industry on high alert. In February, an Indiana turkey farm euthanized 29,000 birds after a highly deadly strain of avian flu was detected.
Despite Minnesota's best efforts, Petersen says it's likely a matter of time before flocks are impacted.
"We're seeing it in South Dakota and in Iowa, so we really have farms of all sizes on high alert," he said. "It's not here in Minnesota, but we have flocks very close by. It's definitely a concern especially after 2015 and it's likely not and if, but a when scenario."
Minnesota lost nearly 9 million birds during the 2015 outbreak of the virus.