“They’re looking for the latest in equipment, the latest in technology,” said Mark James of the New York Farm Bureau.

Empire Farms Days is one of the biggest ag shows in the northeast. Tractors and equipment costing hundreds of thousands of dollars are one of the draws.

“Wouldn’t be able to afford or have a use for a machine like that at home,” said farmer Tom
Swartley.

This year, many farmers are also looking for ways to become more efficient.

“With the price of diesel fuel being what it is, any time you can save energy, be it in a tractor doing field work or just around the farm, it’s important,” Swartley said.

Empire Farm Days

Hundreds of farmers are in Seneca County this week, checking out some of the newest equipment in the agriculture business. As our Seth Voorhees reports, with high diesel prices, many of those farmers are looking at options they would not have considered just a couple years ago.

“We’re certainly seeing an impact. The price of fuel is certainly impacting things,” said farm machinery dealer Erik Sveden.

Farm machinery dealers say business has been good, but farmers are changing the way they shop, looking for more efficiency.

“I think a lot of the manufacturers are paying more attention to fuel economy and how to get the most efficiency out of any given machine and maximize its production,” Sveden said.

“The difficult economy has forced most businesses to look for ways to save money. For many farmers, it means looking at ideas they might not have considered in the past.

“Certainly that and the technology has improved over the years, too,” James said.

James says it means ideas like turning methane gas from manure into an energy source make more sense.

“We’re looking at things and farmers are looking at different ways to conserve and cut costs,” said James.

Farmers are enjoying good prices for their crops, but costs are at an all-time high, so farmers come here in search of a better way of doing business.

“It’s a big concern for farmers,” Swartley added.