Scott Belden

“We're just going to have to pray that we make the right decisions and that our customers stick with us.”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden says he hopes he and his customers make the right decisions and stay together through the difficult period.

“I think we're all in trouble. If we don't get control of this diesel fuel and get it -- like right now -- people, people are probably consuming the loss, like as myself, but that cannot continue. So if they don't get control of the diesel fuel soon, we're really going to see a spike.”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden warns that ranchers cannot keep absorbing fuel cost increases and that a further price spike is coming if the situation is not addressed.

“If I want to continue to operate, I'm going to buy diesel. No matter what the price is, I'm going to buy diesel,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden says he has no choice but to keep buying diesel for his vehicles and equipment regardless of the price.

“The president has a lot to do with these fuel prices,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden, a three-time Donald Trump voter, says the president bears responsibility for high fuel prices.

“He's made some decisions that didn't go the way he thought they'd go, and now we're weeping the consequences of some of them decisions. And so I wouldn't say regret, but I'm glad we'll get someone new next time.”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden says Trump made decisions with unintended consequences and, while not expressing regret, is glad Trump is term-limited.

“It don't take no [mathematician] to figure out that it's costing me $1,000 to $1,400 more a week,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden estimates that high fuel costs are adding $1,000 to $1,400 per week to his operating expenses.

“I believe everything goes up and comes down, but I've learned they go up real fast and come down real slow,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden says he expects diesel prices to stay high despite Trump's promises that they will come down.

“The lifeblood of America is diesel fuel. Everything you eat, consume, wear is delivered with a diesel-powered vehicle. So, I do believe it's going to hurt them tremendously.”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden says diesel fuel is essential to the American economy and believes high prices will hurt Republicans at the polls.

“The inputs are out of control. The diesel prices are out of control, along with everything else. So we're just in a very trying time. Very uncertain,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden says record-breaking diesel costs and rising inputs are creating a very uncertain time for his ranching business.

“Middle of America is hurting,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden warns that middle America is being hurt by high diesel prices ahead of the midterm elections.

“It's probably the most stressful time in my life,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Scott Belden, a 55-year-old third-generation rancher in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, describes the strain of harvest season amid soaring diesel prices.

“It's a very trying time when you know, you don't know when that's going to end. You don't know, and you can't -- you can't always pass that on to your customers because you set the prices, and they're all -- they're all struggling, too. You know everybody's in this together,”

Scott Belden · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Belden says he cannot always pass increased costs on to customers who are also struggling.