The Iran war’s fertilizer shock is hammering American farmers, and 70% can’t afford what they need for this year’s growing season

(Credit: Grant Baldwin—AFP/Getty Images)

With the planting season ending in six weeks, skyrocketing fertilizer prices are forcing farmers into an impossible choice: cut back and lose crop yield or stay the course and lose money.

A survey published Tuesday of 5,700 farmers conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation shows that around 70% of farmers are unable to afford all the fertilizer they need, while nearly six in 10 said their finances have worsened owing to the rising cost of both fertilizer and fuel.