Survey: U.S. fertilizer situation messy as low availability, high prices deliver big blow to farmer pockets
Nearly six in 10 farmers report worsening finances, reflecting rising fertilizer and fuel costs during spring planting. See the latest data.
America’s farmers say they cannot afford to purchase enough fertilizer to get them through the year. And the percentage of growers who pre-purchased fertilizer varies significantly by region. That’s according to a recent survey conducted by American Farm Bureau Federation from April 3-11.
The survey shows 70% of respondents say fertilizer is so expensive that they will not be able to buy all the fertilizer they need. And 94% of respondents say their financial situation has worsened or remained the same since last year, while only 6% reported improvement.
Over 5,700 farmers, both Farm Bureau members and non-members, from every state and Puerto Rico reportedly took the survey. Farm Bureau economists analyzed and shared the results in the latest Market Intel.
What else does the survey say?
The analysis reveals nearly 80% of farmers in the southern U.S. say they can’t afford all needed supplies this year, followed by the Northeast (69%) and West (66%) regions, respectively. And 48% of surveyed farmers in the Midwest share the same concerns.
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Just 19% of farmers in the South pre-booked fertilizer purchases in advance of spring planting season. In the Northeast, only 30% of farmers pre-booked, followed by 31% in the West, and 67% in the Midwest. Even with higher pre-booking rates, almost one in three Midwestern farmers still report entering the season without all of their fertilizer needs secured.
Why are farmers struggling to buy fertilizer in 2026?
The U.S./Israel-led conflict with Iran in the Middle East sent fertilizer and fuel prices soaring. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is keeping critical fertilizer supplies and crude oil from reaching global markets, putting a squeeze on supplies not just in the U.S. but around the world.
“Since the escalation in the Middle East, nitrogen fertilizer prices have risen more than 30%, while combined fuel and fertilizer costs have increased roughly 20% to 40%,” the Market Intel report states. “Prices have increased by 47% since the end of February, marking the largest month-to-month percentage increase in the price of urea.”
Many of the farmers surveyed said they will forego applying fertilizer this spring in hopes that prices will return to an affordable level later in the growing season.
Review the full Market Intel report from American Farm Bureau Federation.