On-Farm Energy Use Characterizations

Elizabeth Brown and R. Neal Elliott

March 2005

Abstract

This report characterizes the national and several state agriculture sectors in terms of on-farm energy use. Agriculture represents 1.8% of the national gross domestic product (GDP), and energy costs represent up to 6% of farm production costs, costing the nation's farmers $10 billion in energy bills a year. Results show that energy use is highly dependant on farm-type and region, and can be specific to both. Nationwide, the largest on-farm energy uses include motors (with irrigation being the largest motor application), lighting, and onsite transportation. Individual states, while showing some variation, have the same general large energy uses. Further research is required to refine these estimates, as the estimates reported here include significant expert judgment.

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29 pp., 2005, $16.00, IE052