Trump-loving farmers threaten 'to quit' as president’s war spikes fertilizer prices

Thanks to weather, rising inflation and the damage of tariffs, U.S. farmers were already faring badly under President Donald Trump. But after voting for him en mass in the 2024 election, single-family farmers are now eyeing the door as Trump’s new war inflicts itself upon fertilizer prices.

“It’s not just gas. The price of fertilizer is also climbing amid the us war with Iran, driving up costs for American farmers just before spring planting season, when fertilizer is needed most,” said MS NOW anchor Katy Tur, who then followed up her news with a flurry of ailing farmers considering selling the farm.

“There's been some predictions that fertilizer will go up another $100 a ton on top of losing money as it is,” said one farmer interviewed by Georgia News Channel 11Alive. “It's really sad that that the farming has got to the point where we're losing money to even to even be doing it. And, and then with things going on like it is, there's so much uncertainty.

“We're used to dealing with markets going up and down. But when we see such a large increase in such a short span of time, is what really what really makes it harder, harder to deal with,” said Mike Flinchbaugh, a Pennsylvania orchard grower.

“We have a lot on the line from day to day and at night time sometimes it can be hard to sleep,” a Virginia farmer told 13NewsNow.

A lot of guys have just said, ‘I'm done. We're going to quit.’ They're hanging it up. There are [farm] sales everywhere. Lots and lots of farm sales,” said another farmer in Iowa, speaking to Des Moines news channel KCCI. “Financially, it's causing a lot of mental health problems as well.”

CNBC Anchor Brian Sullivan told Tur that he used to be a chemical fertilizer trader and explained that fertilizer is not the horse manure it used to be, and it’s now more scarce thanks to Trump’s self-made war in Iran.

“These are chemicals,” said Sullivan. “They're like small gumballs or large BBs. They're round pellets. And it's one of the biggest markets in the world, and they're critically vital for growing food around the world. And while oil is getting all the headlines around the Strait of Hormuz, about 30 to 50 percent of either the fully produced fertilizers or ingredients in those fertilizers goes through the Strait of Hormuz.”

“We think, ‘oh, it's just an oil tanker going through.’ No, it's not. It is these large bulk carriers filled with these little pellets — which are critical. All the voices that you just heard from farmers here in the United States, are also [coming from] around the world. The price has gone up by about 30 percent in one week.”

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