NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — Severe winter weather sharply tightened U.S. energy supplies, driving a record drawdown in natural gas storage and lifting heating and power costs across much of the country.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, working natural gas stocks fell 360 billion cubic feet for the week ending January 30 — the largest withdrawal ever recorded. The pull was nearly 90 percent larger than the five-year average for the same week and pushed inventories to slightly below normal seasonal levels.
Winter Storm Fern stretched from New Mexico to New England, boosting heating demand while freezing wellheads and pipelines along the Gulf Coast. Residential and commercial consumption surged nearly 29 percent above normal, while production dropped due to freeze-offs and shut-ins. The combination tightened supplies quickly.
Prices reacted immediately. The Henry Hub benchmark climbed to $9.03 per MMBtu, more than doubling week to week and running over $5 higher than a year ago.
Higher natural gas prices ripple through agriculture, affecting grain drying, irrigation energy costs, and nitrogen fertilizer production.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Cold-driven spikes in gas prices can quickly raise fertilizer and energy costs.
Tony St. James, RFD NEWS Markets Specialist
Ranchbot Monitoring Solutions provides remote water-monitoring technology to help ranchers manage livestock water more efficiently.
February 05, 2026 03:26 PM
·
Jeramy Stephens of National Land Realty breaks down current trends in the farmland real estate market and how landowners should consider water availability and its impact on land values as they plan for the year ahead.
February 04, 2026 01:57 PM
·
We caught up with John Deere’s Hay & Forage Got-To Market Manager Kaylene Ballesteros to learn how tech is evolving how producers make hay, from baling efficiency to operator confidence.
February 04, 2026 12:38 PM
·
Mexico has fallen behind by several hundred thousand acre-feet in required water deliveries to the United States, a shortfall that has had devastating consequences across the Rio Grande Valley.
February 04, 2026 12:23 PM
·
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas discusses expected changes to the 45Z tax credit and what they could mean for agriculture and rural America.
February 04, 2026 11:13 AM
·
Shrinking slaughter capacity may delay heifer retention, complicating herd rebuilding plans.
February 03, 2026 02:26 PM
·
Securing Critical Water Resources for South Texas Agriculture
February 03, 2026 01:10 PM
·
Clearer 45Z rules favor U.S. oilseeds, but final RFS volumes remain critical to locking in demand.
February 03, 2026 12:39 PM
·
Even small declines in the calf crop translate into sustained supply pressure, supporting cattle prices over multiple years.
February 03, 2026 12:22 PM
·
