Hoosier farmers' costs climb

Jenni Glenn, The Journal Gazette

jglenn@jg.net

Hoosier farmers shelled out nearly $1 billion more to raise crops and livestock last year than they did in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's statistical agency.

Soaring fertilizer and oil prices pushed U.S. farmers' expenses to record levels last year. Nationwide farm production expenditures jumped 9 percent to $260 billion, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.