Survey shows 70% of U.S. farmers hit hard by price spikes in fertilizer and fuel

Standing water in Midwest fields is only adding to the challenges facing farmers this season as the ripple effect of the war with Iran is piled on top of existing financial burdens. 

According to a study conducted at the start of April by the American Farm Bureau, only a small percentage of the nation’s farmers pre-booked their fertilizer ahead of the 2026 planting season. 

Just 19% of Southern producers made early purchases of fertilizer while Midwestern row crop farmers prebooked 67% of their input needs. (graphic)

Faith Parum compiled the data.

Faith Parum, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation: (05:51.041) I'm not sure that I expected such high numbers in the regional variation. And so, I mean, we knew things were bad out there. We knew they were having a tough time affording fertilizer and getting it. But again, that variation is very stark.”

The study also revealed those running smaller operations were less likely to lock-in a price. In the Midwest, 49% of the growers on farms under 500 acres made early input decisions and just 16% of their Southern counterparts did the same. (graphic)

One thing was true across 70% of the 5,700 farmers that responded, the cost to purchase all of the inputs needed for this season’s crop was out of their reach.

Faith Parum (03:51.138) That may end up in a yield loss. I think we'll really have to wait to see how some of this other data comes out after planting and after application to see how big that would be. If it's just slight decreases in application, it might not affect yields that much. 

For Market to Market, I’m David Miller.

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