Today marks one month since Donald Trump authorized strikes against Iran, igniting a deeply unpopular, protracted conflict that has pushed the global economy to the brink. Every day, Trump and his team expose their total lack of concern for the needs and priorities of working Americans – and one month in, it’s clear that Trump left the U.S. completely unprepared for Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz and constrain oil, gas, and fertilizer supplies, despite being warned by his top military advisors well in advance. The consequences for farmers have been especially staggering, with core inputs like fertilizer and diesel hitting three-year highs as prices soar to astronomical levels with no sign of relief in sight. Moreover, Trump’s war with Iran is hitting home right as American farmers are already dealing with GOP policies that have led to farm bankruptcies, halted exports, and a hollowed-out workforce. Now, Trump has no plan to get us out of this huge mess. Read more about how Trump’s war with Iran has spelled disaster for American farmers:
TRUMP’S WAR IN IRAN HITS AMERICAN FARMERS
- Fertilizer prices are skyrocketing in the wake of the Strait of Hormuz closure, given that a third of the world’s fertilizer trade goes through the Strait. China has also halted exports, further limiting global supplies:
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- Nitrogen fertilizer is 15% higher compared to last month.
- Prices of urea fertilizer have surged 11% in the past month, hitting their highest point in more than three years as the war restricts 30% of global urea trade.
- Anhydrous ammonia fertilizer is 8% more expensive compared to last month.
- UAN32 fertilizer is 5% higher than last month.
- Phosphate supplies, 80% of which are used in the U.S. for soy and corn production, are at risk.
- Diesel prices have spiked 50% since the start of Trump’s war on Iran, dramatically increasing costs for farmers who rely on diesel fuel to run farm equipment and ship produce across the country.
- Farm bankruptcies were already surging in the wake of Trump’s tariffs, up 46% in 2025. Profits have been falling for farmers for three consecutive years now.
- Trump’s trade war with China has decimated soybean exports, with farmers losing $5.7 billion in exports last year alone.
- Trump’s immigration policy has already been hitting farmers hard, gutting their workforce. About two-thirds of all agricultural workers are noncitizen immigrants, nearly half of whom lack legal work authorization.
HEADLINES
- AP: The war in Iran sparks a global fertilizer shortage and threatens food prices.
- NPR: War with Iran disrupts fertilizer exports as U.S. farmers prepare for planting season.
- Brownfield Ag News: Smaller farms most vulnerable to fertilizer cost and supply disruptions.
- Farm Progress: Fertilizer prices surge, squeezing farm profit margins nationwide.
- The New York Times: Global Food Supply Faces a Dangerous Bottleneck as Iran War Persists.
- The New York Times: Diesel Is a Bigger Problem for Consumers Than Gasoline.
- The Wall Street Journal: $5 Diesel is Crushing Truckers. It Will Soon Be Felt Across the Economy.
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