Cold weather, in­­creased use of propane this past fall to dry high moisture crops and logistical problems mean propane supplies have become extremely tight. And that has sent prices soaring.

For farmers, the cold weather meant they were using additional propane to heat their hog buildings. But many said they are grateful they had locked in prices during the summer, before prices escalated.

"We went right from using more propane to dry corn to a cold snap and essentially it (the pipeline) just hasn’t had the chance to recover on supply," said Terry Davis, owner of Country Propane, Heating, Cooling and Plumbing in Milo.

The Iowa average climbed to a record $4.18 a gallon for propane on Jan. 23, according to an Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship (IDALS) survey last week. That ...