Fertilizer
The May Farm Journal Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor reveals growing concern over farm profitability, rising debt costs and long-term financial stress, with economists saying many operations may need significant restructuring to remain viable.
FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson announced a formal investigation Thursday into fertilizer pricing and market concentration, drawing a standing ovation from farmers representing 18 states.
USDA and the Trump administration have unveiled a long-term fertilizer strategy focused on boosting U.S. production, fast-tracking projects and lowering costs.
As producers navigate financial strain and D.C. disconnect, realities such as steep input costs, trade frustrations and E15 limbo are becoming decisive factors shaping the rural vote.
Shrinking equity, rising nitrogen costs and continued global upheaval signal a reckoning for corn growers and a shift to soybeans — especially if higher biomass-based blending diesel mandates come through.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says a multi-agency Trump administration effort will target fertilizer costs and boost U.S. production, with a major announcement expected yet this week.
A Farmer’s Keeper survey of 4,000 farmers shows 20% are cutting corn acres as record fertilizer prices and supply gaps force last-minute shifts toward soybeans and other crops to protect profitability.
In a candid conversation with Farm Journal, USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden says USDA’s message to fertilizer companies is simple: “Be part of the solution, don’t be part of the problem.”
‘Even with the Strait declared open, effective normalization will take time,’ analyst says.
From a ‘quick reopening’ to ‘extended conflict,’ NDSU outlines three pathways for the Hormuz crisis that keep costs stubbornly elevated through 2027