Thanx Donny. Iran War Deprives U.S. Farmers of Affordable Fertilizer as Spring Planting Looms [View all]

The Trump Administration is now working on a way to pay American farmers money
to offset the additional costs they will have to pay for fertilizer. These payments will
be in addition to the money that is now being paid to farmers because Trump’s bizarre
tariffs and alienation of our trading partners has lost them markets worldwide.

Trump is nucking futz. And he is burning America to the ground.

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The Iran war has cut off critical nitrogen fertilizer supplies from the Gulf to the world's farmers. More than 30% of world nitrogen fertilizer exports, as well as fertilizer components like sulfur, pass through the now effectively closed Strait of Hormuz.

Unlike China, most countries do not hold strategic reserves of fertilizer, and much of the U.S. fertilizer dealer system does not hold stocks, leaving it vulnerable to sudden supply shortages.

"It's not like there's a whole lot of fertilizer sitting on the shelf," said Veronica Nigh, an economist at The Fertilizer Institute. "It's very much a just-in-time business model."

The length of time that the Strait of Hormuz is closed is critical. Fertilizer loaded onto ships in the Gulf can take weeks to reach markets like the U.S., and then must be transferred to river barges, trucks or trains to reach farmland. Most fertilizer needs to be applied before the crop starts growing, so any supplies arriving too late cannot be used for the 2026 crop.

On Friday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Trump administration is "looking at every potential avenue" to control fertilizer costs and having discussions with lawmakers about more aid for farmers.

The Trump administration is in the process of distributing $12 billion in aid to U.S. farmers. Farmer groups have urged Congress to approve additional aid.

https://www.agriculture.com/partners-iran-war-deprives-u-s-farmers-of-affordable-fertilizer-as-spring-planting-looms-11926782