By Faith Parum
American Farm Bureau
Fertilizer costs are having a bigger and bigger impact on farm budgets. In the lead-up to the 2022 crop year, fertilizer prices surged to record highs, driven by tight global supplies, energy shocks and trade disruptions. That period became a turning point in how farmers and policymakers thought about farm input risks. Fertilizer prices eased somewhat in 2023 and 2024 as energy markets stabilized and supply chains recovered, but price volatility is at the forefront once again.