Indiana farmers are starting harvest with diesel prices much higher than they were a year ago.

Diesel is averaging about $6.71 a gallon in Indiana, according to AAA. That’s up from $3.78 during last year’s harvest season.

Some stations are charging even more. FOX 59 found diesel selling for $7.19 a gallon at a Shell station in Lebanon.

Thorntown farmer Donnie Lawson says he uses thousands of gallons of diesel to run his combines, tractors and other equipment.

He says he’s trying to decide whether to buy fuel now or wait.

“To me, it doesn’t make sense to go buy a whole bunch of fuel at $7 a gallon. But maybe that’s the best thing to do because it may be at $8 a gallon here in another week or two.”

Lawson says higher fuel and fertilizer costs are making it more expensive to run his farm.

Purdue agricultural economist Michael Langemeier says farmers have seen large increases in the cost of their supplies. Higher corn and soybean prices have helped offset some of those costs.

But Langemeier says some of the higher costs could eventually reach consumers through higher food prices.

He says he doesn’t expect diesel prices to come down without a resolution to the conflict in the Middle East.