The best place to start can be in the home.

When a farmer decides to make plans for new buildings or make renovations to current buildings, efficiency should always be an important consideration. The following efficient building principles can be used to help guide farmers with their decisions, keeping in mind there is no single solution that applies in every instance:

• Minimize operating energy
• Incorporate renewable energy wherever possible
• Optimize material use with the fewest, best materials
• Design for local conditions; build with local materials
• Conserve resources in design, construction, and operation

Increasing fuel costs represent one of the most destabilizing factors for a farm budget.

Research has concluded that on-farm energy end-uses providing farmers with the largest savings potential include: motors, lighting (with irrigation being the largest motor application), and onsite transportation (including fuel use decisions). While particular efficiency measures might be more useful to some farms because of their unique characteristics, such as the needs of a farm-type or region, much of the following research is generally applicable to all farms, no matter their location or farm-type. Also remember that the farm’s residence, or “home building envelope,” contributes to energy expenses, and should be included in any energy efficiency evaluation. Larger farms are certain to implement these techniques, which make it critical that smaller farms also consider them in order to remain competitive and sustainable. In addition, with more consumers focused on buying locally grown products that have been farmed with “green” practices, smaller farms have the benefit of marketing their crops and products as being produced with these energy efficient techniques. Again, this website outlines the measures that provide farms with the most potential for savings, or that give you “the most bang for your buck.”

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The technology to implement energy efficiency in all facets of farm business is available… and in many places the government wants to help you pay for it.

Energy expenses are normally a significant portion of a farm’s budget, accounting for up to 10 percent of total costs. As a result, energy expenditures cost the nation’s farmers $10 billion in energy bills a year. Accordingly, energy ranks sixth out of total production expenses. In addition, profit margins on farms (especially small farms) have continued to shrink, leading to an interest in minimizing expenses. Agriculture has been hit hard by recent energy price increases. Of course, the smallest farms feel these effects the most.

Since operating margins for small farms are typically well under 10 percent, energy costs can have an enormous impact on the economic viability of a farm. Lowering these energy costs can be achieved through the adoption of energy efficiency on the farm. According to a conservative analysis, the potential for energy and cost savings in the agriculture sector is over 34 trillion BTUs (British Thermal Units) and over one billion dollars per year (a more aggressive estimate is 98 trillion BTUs). Energy efficiency is the streamlining of energy use through technology and behavior in a way that minimizes energy use and cost while maximizing productivity.

To read more, click here.