American farmers are feeling the pain.
The Iran War has triggered massive price shocks for both fuel and fertilizer, and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz will only exacerbate the global supply squeeze as crude oil and fertilizer supplies are blocked from reaching global markets. A recent survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) shows just how intense the economic pressure is becoming for American farmers as they grapple not only with increased diesel prices but also with fertilizer shortages. (RELATED: 29,077,848,741: Remember This Number If Democrats Wipe Out Republicans In November)
The AFBF survey, conducted between April 3 and April 11, found that of the 5,700 respondents 70% said that fertilizer has gotten so expensive that they were unable to buy all the supplies they needed to get through the end of 2026.
Breaking it down by region, almost 8 out of 10 farmers in the South said they did not have enough fertilizer for the remainder of 2026. Only 19% of Southern farmers said they “pre-booked” (when farmers purchase or commit to purchasing fertilizer well in advance) enough fertilizer for the 2026 planting season.
Fertilizer is spread across a field in China Grove, North Carolina, on April 10, 2026. US farmers are facing a double whammy of soaring fertilizer and diesel prices after US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered Tehran’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for such shipments. (Photo by Grant Baldwin / AFP via Getty Images)
In the Northeast, 69% of farmers said they cannot afford the necessary fertilizer supplies, while only 30% of farmers said they had pre-booked.
Sixty-six percent of farmers in the West said they cannot afford fertilizer, and just 31% said they pre-booked, the survey found.
The Midwest appears to be slightly better off than other regions, with 48% of farmers saying they cannot afford fertilizer and 67% saying they had pre-booked.
The AFBF provided a useful graph breaking down each region:
“The skyrocketing cost of fuel and fertilizer is creating more economic hardships for farmers who have already endured years of losses,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a statement. “Without the necessary fertilizers, we’ll face lower yields and some farmers will reduce acres altogether, which will impact food and feed supplies. It’s too early to know how this will affect food availability and prices in the long run, but it’s a warning light that we’ve shared with leaders in Washington. We look forward to working with them to find solutions so farmers can continue to feed families across America.”
The AFBI survey also found that 94% of respondents reported that they were worse off or in the same financial position since 2025. Just 6% said their financial situation has improved.