Analysis of energy consumption on Tennessee farms

A study was conducted to compare the results of energy use of fuel, fertilizer, and chemicals from an energy survey of farms across the state of Tennessee to the results of a study from financial information gathered by the Tennessee Resource Development Program. The study compared the estimated average energy use in diesel equivalent per acre to produce the crops corn, soybeans, and wheat. The information for the survey study was gathered from 11 farmers across the state. This information included actual energy use in fuel, fertilizer, and chemicals for the crops considered. The information gathered from the Tennessee Resource Development Program included expenses incurred for fuel, fertilizer, and chemicals. Calculations determined average costs per unit for each of the three energy forms. Energy use for fuel, fertilizer, and chemicals was then computed using average price of energy per unit and expenses incurred by the farmer. The final results of both studies show very similar amounts of computed energy use per acre. The total energy use in gallons of diesel equivalent per acre for fuel, fertilizer, and chemicals was 32.2, 11.0, and 13.9 respectively for corn, soybeans, and wheat for the survey data and 31.9, 13.6, and 17.4 for the Tennessee Resource Development Program data. These results would enable a farmer to estimate energy use and also estimate an energy budget for his crops.