From filling tractors to hauling feed and milk, fuel keeps a dairy farm moving.With prices at the pump rising, farmers like Hank Wagner are looking for ways to keep those costs from cutting further into their bottom line.At Wagn er Farms near Oconto Falls, fuel costs reach well beyond the farm's own equipment.Everything that gets delivered to the farm or leaves the farm also has a fuel surcharge, said Wagner, president and CEO of Wagner Farms. So, there are additional fuel costs still affecting us.Fuel, however, is just one expense Wagner is balancing.Wagner said lower milk prices have created challenges, though higher beef prices have helped offset some of that pressure.Milk prices have been lower than what we've seen in quite a while, Wagner said. However, beef prices have been higher than they've been in a really long time. So, they kind of offset each other.Finding ways to use less fuelWhile Wagner said fuel is not one of the farm's largest expenses, higher prices are prompting changes in how the farm operates.Workers are reducing trips across fields, looking for efficiencies in harvesting and feed transportation, and buying more products locally when possible to reduce fuel surcharges.We're being more aware of fuel costs and what we can do to lower them, Wagner said.Wagner said tariffs also are affecting some products the farm previously purchased from Canada. One area where the farm is adjusting is fertilizer use.We're having to change how we manage fertilizer and be even more careful about where we're applying it, and making sure it's going to the right place, Wagner said.For Wagner, fluctuating costs are part of running a farm, making long-term efficiency increasingly important.We own our own businesses, and prices go up and down, Wagner said. That's just kind of the nature of the beast.Farmers watching the Farm BillFuel prices are only one part of the financial picture as farmers also watch developments in Washington surrounding the 2026 Farm Bill.The House has passed its version of the legislation, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. The Senate Agriculture Committee has also worked on its own proposal as lawmakers seek to update federal agriculture and nutrition policy.For farmers like Wagner, those decisions in Washington come as they continue navigating changing costs closer to home. ...read more read less