A new survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation shows that the vast majority of U.S. farmers — roughly 70% — are unable to afford all of the fertilizer they need this season amid rising input costs due to the war in Iran and an already difficult farm economy.
Trade
Iran Ceasefire Won’t Provide Immediate Fertilizer Relief
The U.S. and Iranian governments agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday, but growers should not expect immediate fertilizer price relief, analysts warn. And if lasting peace doesn’t materialize, consumers will soon see higher food prices.
Mosaic and Simplot Support Keeping Phosphate Fertilizer Tariffs
Fertilizer producers Mosaic and Simplot say they support keeping countervailing duties on Moroccan and Russian phosphate fertilizer in the five-year review now underway. If the domestic industry had said it no longer needs them to prevent injury, the tariffs would have been lifted.
US Seeking Fertilizer from Venezuela, Morocco Amid Iran War
The Trump administration is seeking other sources of fertilizer amid the ongoing Iran war’s shipping constraints, including from Venezuela and possibly Morocco, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Tuesday.
China Signals Openness to Buying More US Ag Products
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials held ‘remarkably stable’ talks in Paris on Sunday that touched on potential areas of agreement in agriculture. The Chinese side showed openness to potential additional purchases of U.S. agricultural goods including poultry, beef and non-soybean row crops, one of the sources said, adding that China was still committed to buy 25 million metric tons of American soybeans for each of the next three years.
Farm Bureau Calls on Trump to Protect Fertilizer Supplies
The American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on President Donald Trump to dampen the Iran war’s shocks to the market for critical agricultural supplies — which are landing as farmers confront major economic headwinds.
Prolonged Iran War Could Shrink US Corn Acres, Analysts Say
The world’s farmers face soaring fertilizer and fuel prices as the war in the Middle East escalates, leaving some scrambling for supplies as the spring planting season approaches and causing some to rethink their planting prospects.
Fertilizer Prices Have ‘Significant’ Rise After Attack on Iran
As a result of the attack on Iran, nitrogen fertilizer at the port of New Orleans has seen an increase in price this week. Urea prices for barges in New Orleans traded $520/ton to $550/ton on Monday, up from an average of $475/ton last week, according to CRU Group.
Attack on Iran Could Disrupt Global Fertilizer Markets
A prolonged military conflict in the Middle East could potentially upend key commodity markets due to Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important trade routes. America’s crop growers could see fresh price spikes for inputs like fertilizer while battling a multi-year downturn in profitability, experts warned ahead of the attack.
Beef, Most Fertilizers Exempt from New Trump Tariffs
A new 10% tariff on goods from around the world took effect Tuesday — with a list of exemptions including beef. Other exemptions affecting the food and agriculture industries include trade-deal compliant goods from Canada and Mexico and some fertilizers.
Ag Industry Calls for Trade Certainty After SCOTUS Strikes Down Trump Tariffs
U.S. agriculture groups responded to the Supreme Court striking down President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs by calling for increased certainty in trade policy and carveouts for ag inputs in any new tariffs. But, President Donald Trump already said on Saturday he will raise a temporary tariff from 10% to 15% on U.S. imports from all countries, the maximum level allowed under the law.
U.S. to Quadruple Beef Imports from Argentina
President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order temporarily expanding the amount of beef the U.S. can import from Argentina, a move the White House says is aimed at lowering prices but that the nation’s largest cattle industry group disputes.
China Turning to Brazil Soybeans After Meeting US Purchase Pledge
China, the world’s largest soybean importer, has ramped up orders for Brazilian cargoes of the oilseed after meeting an initial shipment volume from the US as part of a trade truce with Washington.
Tariff Revenue from Ag Input Imports was Nearly $1 Billion in 2025
Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration collected an estimated $958 million in revenue from selected agricultural inputs from February to October of 2025, according to North Dakota State University’s monthly Agricultural Trade Monitor. Of that, about $530 million came from farm machinery, $273 million came from agricultural chemicals, $110 million came from fertilizers and $44 million came from seeds.
China Reaches 12 Million Ton US Soybean Purchase Pledge
China has bought about 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans, fulfilling a U.S.-stated pledge to purchase that volume by the end of February, three traders told Reuters on Tuesday, after a late-October trade truce spurred buying.
Farm Economy to Stabilize in 2026, Ag Economists Predict
As 2026 ushers in a fresh start, agricultural economists say the U.S. farm economy has stopped sliding, but it’s far from fully healed.The December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows month-to-month sentiment is improving, but deep structural strain remains — especially in row crops.
China’s US Soy Purchases Approach 10 Million Tons
China’s state stockpiler Sinograin bought 10 U.S. soybean cargoes this week, three traders told Reuters on Tuesday. China’s total purchases from the latest U.S. crop were now estimated at 8.5 million to nearly 10 million tons, according to traders and analysts, representing up to 80% of the 12 million metric tons that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China pledged to buy by the end of February.
Venezuela Turmoil Could Open Opportunities for US Ag
The ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could lead to export opportunities for U.S. ag products, although much depends on the U.S.’ next move and how consumers respond, analysts say.
China Reaches 8 MMT of US Soybeans Purchased in 2025
China has bought at least 8 million tons of US soybeans this year, according to people familiar with the matter, putting the world’s top importer on track to meet a pledge it made two months ago as part of an apparent trade truce with Washington.
USDA Projects $37 Billion Ag Trade Deficit in FY26
The USDA is projecting that the ag trade deficit will shrink in FY2026 even more than previously anticipated. USDA expects the trade deficit to fall from $43.7 billion in FY2025 to $37 billion in FY2026, according to its quarterly trade forecast published Tuesday. In its previous report issued in August, USDA had projected a trade deficit of $41.5 billion this fiscal year.