Propane: One of the Few Things Farmers Can Always Count On

More than 660,000 farms-over half of all farms in the U.S.-use propane because of its cost effectiveness, safety, efficiency, convenience, portability, and environmental friendliness. Consumption of propane on farms has increased substantially over the past 15 years and the agriculture sector is now the third-largest retail propane market in the U.S., consuming more than 1.5 billion gallons per year, or 10 percent of total demand. Propane's cost-efficiency and reliability help farmers keep productivity high and operating costs down.

Estimated Forecast of Propane Consumption in the U.S.
-for the Farm Market (000 gallons)



Source: "Propane Market Assessment," by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy, 2000

Farms require energy in barns and other outbuildings, in the farmhouse, and out in the field. And in rural areas where access to electricity grids and natural gas mains are limited, propane is an ideal energy source. Farmers can utilize propane's versatility in a wide range of applications, as noted below:

• Heating:
  • Space conditioning for farmhouses and outbuildings
  • Farm household appliances such as water heaters, clothes dryers, and kitchen ranges
  • Heating greenhouses, stock tanks, poultry and pig brooders
  • Crop heating for frost protection in groves and orchards
• Power generation:
  • Farm machinery (e.g., standby generators, processing equipment)
  • Irrigation pumps
  • Farm vehicles (cars, trucks, tractors, forklifts)
• Waste Treatment
• Crop Drying
  • Grain drying
  • Tobacco curing
  • Fruit drying
• Chemical Replacement
  • Crop flamers
  • Weed and pest control
  • Fruit drying

Many federal, state, and industry incentives are available for farm use of propane and propane-fueled equipment. Some of those incentives are described later on in this website. A local agricultural extension service or state department of agriculture is another source of information for available incentives.