Propane, a Workhorse for Your Farm

5 Ways Propane Will Help Your Agriculture Business Thrive

Farming and agricultural businesses represents the lion’s share of private businesses in Virginia. Poultry, cattle, dairy farming, corn, and tobacco, along with many other crops, are a big part of our economy, and 90 percent of those operations are family-run. Midway has been supporting locally based, family-run agricultural businesses for decades, and we understand their needs. We know propane is a vital element to keep farms running smoothly and cost-effectively.

Propane Helps You Save

We know everyone is feeling the sting of higher energy costs, especially agriculture. But farmers continue to embrace propane because it’s energy efficient—that means more bang for the buck when it comes to all kinds of operations. For example, propane-powered irrigation engines cost less to operate, and deliver high horsepower and low emissions. And crop drying with propane offers such highly efficient performance that you’ll make the most of your profit potential while minimizing any crop loss. That’s why it’s also smart for barn heating: Propane generates more Btus than an equivalent amount of electricity. Here are just a few of the ways it can help you save:

• Lower equipment costs Propane-powered equipment typically has a lower up-front purchase cost than diesel equipment.
• Fewer repairs Because it burns cleaner, equipment powered by propane tends to break down less frequently, which means you’ll spend less money on repairs and spend more time working productively on your farm.
• Lose less fuel Propane is used in a closed-end fueling system, virtually eliminating loss from theft and spillage.

Propane Is Versatile

Whether you are growing crops or raising livestock, propane can work for you in many ways:

• Drying and ripening crops
• Irrigating fields
• Powering generators
• Heating barns, greenhouses, water tanks, farmhouses, hatcheries and more
• Combatting weeds and insects with flaming equipment
• Keeping orchards warm in cold weather
• Sanitizing milking operations
• Crop moisture control
• Fuel light-duty vehicles such as mowers and forklifts

Ultimately, propane is a smart choice for your modern farm. It’s a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, clean and portable fuel. Propane does not degrade over time, either, and it won’t contaminate your soil or water, which is a real risk with gasoline or diesel if it spills.

Customized Solutions

Talk to our team. Whatever your needs, we can work with you to develop a delivery schedule based on your usage patterns, the season, and the weather. We’ll make sure you have the right size storage tanks, places conveniently and installed safely. Need a refillable cylinder station to use with mowers, forklifts and other equipment? We can set you up.

We can also help you with back-up generation for essential buildings, so you can keep heat or refrigeration running through a power outage—potentially saving you from big losses.

Ready to Learn More?

If you want to learn more about how propane can help your agricultural business thrive, contact the pros at Midway. We’ve been partnering with agricultural businesses of all sizes throughout Southwestern Virginia to help them maximize efficiency and savings. We look forward to helping you, too!