An overwhelming majority of U.S. farmers say rising fertilizer costs are limiting their ability to operate this season. That’s according to a nationwide survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The survey found that 70 percent of respondents cannot afford to purchase all the fertilizer they need for the year. The results show significant regional differences. Nearly 80 percent of farmers in the South reported being unable to afford sufficient supplies, compared to 69 percent in the Northeast, 66 percent in the West, and 48 percent in the Midwest.
Pre-purchasing rates also varied, with just 19 percent of Southern farmers securing fertilizer in advance, versus 67 percent in the Midwest. “The skyrocketing cost of fuel and fertilizer is creating more economic hardships for farmers who have already endured years of losses,” said Zippy Duvall. “Without the necessary fertilizers, we’ll face lower yields and some farmers will reduce acres altogether, which will impact food and feed supplies.”
-NAFB