Rising supply costs tied to the conflict in the Middle East are adding strain to an already challenging farm economy. To better understand how global fertilizer market disruptions are affecting producers during spring planting, the American Farm Bureau Federation conducted a Fertilizer Availability Survey of farmers and ranchers across the country. An overwhelming majority of America’s farmers who responded to a nationwide survey say they cannot afford to purchase enough fertilizer to get them through the year. 

70% of respondents say fertilizer is so expensive, they will not be able to buy all the fertilizer they need.  The conflict in the Middle East sent fertilizer and fuel prices soaring. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is keeping critical fertilizer supplies and crude oil from reaching global markets, putting a squeeze on supplies around the world. According to the survey, 94% of respondents reported their financial situation has worsened or remained the same since last year, while only 6% reported improvement. Poor financial conditions going into this growing season impacted planting and purchasing decisions, and as a result, rapidly changing fertilizer and fuel market price volatility impacted farmers across the country in different ways.