The Weekly Fill-Up | November 3-7

November 3, 2025

As harvest winds down and the focus shifts toward winter preparation, energy inputs like diesel, oils, DEF and propane are entering a phase of subtle transition. For farming operations, trucking fleets, and support services alike, this week provides a critical window to lock in stability before seasonal demand peaks and cost pressures rise.

Retail diesel continues to hover in the low-$3.70s per gallon nationally, showing modest year-over-year gains but a slight flattening in recent weeks. According to one industry review, the U.S. average stood around $3.72 per gallon as of late October, about 14.5 cents higher than a year ago. While these levels are manageable, the fact that prices are no longer falling signals that the market may be entering a more constrained phase rather than an easing one. For those relying on timely fuel deliveries and high-volume haulage, this suggests that locking in fuel now may reduce risk of transport premiums or logistical squeeze later.

Lubricants, greases and hydraulic oils seldom make the headlines — but their importance rises sharply when equipment transitions from heavy field use into winter maintenance mode. Supply-chain tensions remain in some specialty categories, particularly in rural servicing zones. As harvest operations wind down, ensuring that your lubricant inventory is stocked and that service intervals are aligned with your maintenance season will pay dividends in avoiding downtime when cold weather arrives.

DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) remains one of the tighter operational inputs. Usage remains elevated as fleets continue seasonal grain movement, and while pricing may not be spiking dramatically this week, logistics and storage risk are real. Cold-weather storage capability, monitoring draw rates accurately, and placing orders ahead of when tanks approach low levels are all smart plays. Treating DEF like a fuel input — not just as an add-on — is turning into best-practice for operations in this region.

Propane may be your more “stable” input heading into winter, but that does not mean it’s without nuance. The latest reports show U.S. inventories of propane are above the five-year average and even above prior record years, providing a strong starting point for the heating and drying season. However, for agricultural operators using propane for grain drying, shop heating, or livestock buildings, localized demand surges and delivery timing remain variables. Given the drawdown ahead, this week is a good moment to assess tank levels, delivery schedules, and portion of winter volume you want to secure early while markets remain calm.

In sum, this week offers a strategic choice: to act with foresight or to react under pressure. Diesel is stable but may not dip significantly; oils and lubricants are accessible but supply chains are less forgiving; DEF is constrained but manageable; and propane is well-stocked but demand risk is real. For Sioux Valley Coop patrons, the cooperative structure offers benefits: aggregate purchasing power, locally tuned delivery logistics, and insight into how regional dynamics affect your bottom-line energy costs.

Let’s use this moment to prepare smartly — finishing harvest strong and moving into the winter season powered locally.

Sources

U.S. Diesel Sales Price — Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis data (October 2025)
Work Truck Online — “October Diesel Trend Update,” Late October 2025
C.H. Robinson Edge Report — “Fuel Costs Up Again, Squeezing Logistics Budgets,” October 2025
U.S. Propane/Propylene Inventory Data — RBN Energy / EIA, September 2025