As we prepare for spring work, remember to perform routine maintenance on your fuel storage tanks. This is very important for any operation. The nature of modern fuels combined with the systems in which they’re used makes it imperative that fuel storage tanks be properly maintained and cleaned. Here are a few examples that help explain the importance of proper fuel storage tank maintenance.

New Engines Require Clean Fuel

The technology behind the fuel injection system in vehicle engines is constantly improving in order to improve the fuel economy of these vehicles. New injectors allow for a faster and more efficient combustion with the creation of a fine mist. “These new fuel injection systems are more precise, clog more easily and therefore require cleaner fuels. It is crucial to keep fuel injectors clean to prevent damage to the engine. Clean storage tanks mean clean fuel, and clean fuel means clean fuel injectors.

Biofuels Require Careful Monitoring

New biofuels are coming onto the scene in a big way. Ethanol fuels can be found in every state in the U.S. Biodiesel is also starting to gain a foothold in the marketplace. These biofuels are more efficient and burn cleaner than traditional fuels.

However, water is a bigger concern with these fuels. “Water is more soluble in ethanol than it is in petrol, so ethanol blended fuels hold more water in suspension. Biofuels are also more susceptible to absorbing water from the air.” Proper fuel storage tank maintenance ensures that these fuels are kept clean and stable.

Cleaner Diesel More Easily Absorbs Water

Diesel is cleaner today than ever before, shedding its image as a dirty fuel. The sulfur content of diesel has been reduced all the way down to 15 ppm. However, removing sulfur from diesel also affects the viability of diesel. Additives are used to offset this fact, but these additives themselves make it easier for the fuel to absorb water. Water in diesel can cause significant damage to diesel engines.

Proper fuel storage tank practices such as draining or pumping the water out are essential in maintaining the viability of cleaner diesel. If you have questions CFC can help you determine if there is water at the bottom of your fuel tanks.

Thank you for your business!

We are getting closer to spring and that means everyone is busy getting equipment ready, calving, and finalizing this year’s crop plans. Be sure to get in to talk with your local agronomist to finalize your crop needs. Be sure to ask about what financing programs we have available to help growers out.

As we all know, Tar Spot is becoming a big deal in our area, so be sure to ask about fungicide treatments. With fungicide treatment we can also use a product from Helena called Coron. Coron is a foliar nitrogen fertilizer that provides safe and efficient release of nitrogen. Combining fungicide and Coron together is a great way to prevent disease and give the plant the extra nutrients it needs to finish out the year all in one application.

Be sure to keep in touch with your agronomist about when we can start spreading fertilizer and/or start delivering seed. Be sure to ask about our new talc graphite product called Quickshot.

Prepare for major volatility as the world navigates Tariff Wars 2.0. A lot of the potential tariffs will be used as leverage. Unfortunately, ag commodities will be a major punching bag. Overall, the fundamentals will reign supreme until proven otherwise. I think we rally out of these lows until we confirm just how many corn and bean acres we plant. The other commodity we need to be watching is the crude market. If crude keeps dripping lower, it’s going to affect soy and corn crush. Crude is essentially at the lows it has bounced from the past four years so watching it closely will be needed. The current administration is very determined to lower government spending and reduce interest rates. It’s going to have some costs associated with it.