This study investigates the increase in the relative importance of diesel fuel in terms of aggregate farm energy consumption over the 1971–1989 period coupled with the decline in the absolute quantity of diesel fuel consumed over the 1978–1989 period in the USA. Four factors are identified as being central to the observed trend. These include the relative efficiency of diesel-powered equipment versus gasoline-powered equipment, the technological changes in dieselpowered equipment that have impacted energy efficiency, the trend towards larger farms, and the enhanced energy conservation by farmers as a result of the adoption of reduced tillage practices.
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