The tillage practices used for a particular crop will be a major factor in the fuel needed for a complete production cycle. Good estimates of fuel requirements are necessary for planning purposes. If fuel use records are available and reflect the soil conditions and management practice for a particular farmstead, they should be used. However, if specific records are not available, average fuel use values presented in this publication can be used. The data were derived from a two-year study involving fuel usage of farmers throughout Nebraska.
Peak demands for gasoline and diesel fuel occur at various times of the year.
Figures 1 and 2 represent the Nebraska agricultural gasoline and diesel fuel demands for a calendar year. Due primarily to spring tillage and planting, May and June are the peak demand months for diesel fuel. October is the peak demand month for gasoline because of the use of gasoline-powered combines. June and July are also high demand months due to a predominance of gasoline-powered haying equipment. For a particular farm, the timing and amount of fuel required will depend on the cropping practices and equipment used.