Survey: Rising Fertilizer Prices Leave Farmers Uneasy

Many of us have seen the Fertilizer Availability Survey results released by the American Farm Bureau Federation. This survey was conducted from April 03 through April 11 to understand how global fertilizer market disruptions are affecting producers during spring planting and captured responses from more than 5,700 farmers and ranchers. The key takeaways for producers in our Southern Region are: 

• 19% of the Southern Region producers pre-booked fertilizer (secured fertilizer ahead of the season). This was the lowest percentage of all four regions, leaving our region more exposed to price increases.  

• 78% of the Southern Region producers reported that they are unable to afford all the needed fertilizer for 2026. Our region reported the greatest difficulty in securing fertilizer. This may lead to reduced production potential and lower yields due to reductions in nutrient use or a shift in acreage decisions.  

• For context, even in regions where pre-booking rates are higher due to the set crop rotations, nearly one in three Midwestern farmers still reported entering the season without securing all of their fertilizer needs.  

• Additionally, smaller farms (1-499 acres) reported lower fertilizer pre-booking rates compared to larger farms (sized by acreage). Because smaller farms are less likely to secure fertilizer ahead of the season, they are left exposed to in-season price increases. This contributes to the difficulty of affording fertilizer and increases the risk of reduced yields and tighter margins in 2026. 

• According to the survey, 94% of respondents reported their financial situation has worsened or remained the same since last year, while only 6% reported improvement.  

• Alongside fertilizer, farm diesel prices have increased 46% since the end of February. Together, these overlapping price increases help explain why respondents reported that their financial conditions have worsened or remained the same since last year.  

While the survey does more so reflect large-scale agriculture, rising input costs are adding another layer of stress for all growers and producers. The American Farm Bureau Federation did note that the administration has announced plans to help ensure the safe passage of fuel shipments through key global shipping lanes and that support is building for additional economic aid for farmers in any upcoming legislation to help offset economic hardships made more challenging by recent increases in fertilizer and fuel prices. Read the American Farm Bureau Federation's full Market Intel report here: https://www.fb.org/market-intel/farm-bureau-survey-reveals-real-impact-of-fertilizer-availability-and-price