La Niña is Here: Farmers Urged to Prepare Propane Supplies Ahead of Winter

Mike Newland with the Propane Education & Research Council shares how producers can prepare for winter weather and the benefits of propane.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV)La Niña has arrived, which could mean cooler temperatures and more precipitation on your farm this winter. Still, some analysts, like University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences Professor Cliff Mass, say it is expected to be relatively weak this go around.

“It’s very clear right now, we are in a La Niña winter,” Mass said. “We will begin at a La Niña winter, and right now the forecasts are that we will phase into neutral conditions by the end of the winter. So, you know, sometime after the new year it will switch to neutral.”

According to Mass, the silver lining is that drought should not be an issue this season. While moisture also will likely not be a big concern this year, he warned we could see some interesting storms as a result.

“These kinds of years tend to be wetter than normal — gets to be a little bit cooler than normal — the snowpack tends to be good,” he said. “So, it’s a favorable pattern for moisture.”

With winter weather just around the corner, many operations will soon be turning to propane as a reliable on-farm energy solution. Farmers are being urged to prepare now ahead of the cold season.

Mike Newland with the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to share more on how producers can prepare and the benefits propane provides.

In his interview with RFD-TV News, Newland discussed the main advantages of propane when reliability is critical during extreme cold, offered recommendations for winter preparation, and highlighted the economic and operational benefits of using propane on the farm. He also shared a call to action for producers, encouraging them to make early arrangements to ensure their energy needs are covered before temperatures drop.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

President Trump is expected to press Argentina to take a tougher stance on China in exchange for political and economic support.
Treat storage as risk management and logistics, and budget to break even since export growth is unlikely to absorb bigger U.S. corn and soybean crops.
For rural borrowers, freeing up community-bank balance sheets could mean steadier home loans, operating lines, and ag real-estate financing as winter planning ramps up.
Tammi Arender takes us to 3 Board Farm to meet some first-generation farmers who took a leap of faith and, in the process, found a new purpose.
Nick Andersen, Nationwide’s VP of Agribusiness Claims, shares tips for managing weather-related risks in agriculture using their new Hail and Wind Alert Program.
Lewie Pugh, EVP of OOIDA, discusses how lowering the age for commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) to 18 could rejuvenate the trucking labor market.