US Farmers Face Drought, War Costs

Farmers across the U.S. Plains states are facing severe hardship due to a combination of factors: a resurgent drought, soaring costs of fuel and commercial fertilizer, and the lingering effects of past trade policies. The Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz>>> have caused farm diesel prices to climb 72% and urea prices to rise 55%. This comes as the United States>>> is experiencing widespread drought, with over 60% of the continental U.S. affected, leading to expectations of the smallest hard red winter wheat crop since 1957. Farmers like Scott Irlbeck>>>, Tommy Salisbury>>>, Kody Carson>>>, and Thomas Gregory>>> are struggling with high input costs and reduced yields, forcing difficult decisions about planting and fertilizer use. The United States — United States Department of Agriculture>>> and Secretary Brooke Rollins>>> acknowledge the crisis, while the American Farm Bureau Federation>>> reports that most farmers cannot afford necessary fertilizer.