Trump’s War on Iran Could Screw Over US Farmers

The article highlights the growing risk that escalating conflict in the Strait of Hormuz poses to global fertilizer supplies, which could severely impact American farmers during the critical spring planting season. The region is a major hub for exporting key fertilizer components—phosphates, nitrogen (including urea and ammonia), and potash. Recent drone strikes on Qatar LNG facilities have taken nearly 20% of the world’s natural gas supply offline, causing a spike in gas prices and forcing Qatar Energy to halt production of nitrogen fertilizers like urea. Iran, another major exporter of nitrogen fertilizers, is also involved in the conflict, further tightening supplies. Prices for urea in the US have already risen by nearly 15% in a week, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is slowing exports from other regional producers. The situation is exacerbated by Saudi Arabia’s significant role in US phosphate imports, with other regional players like Jordan, Egypt, and Israel also contributing to the market. Some manufacturers are preemptively shutting