MANITOWOC COUNTY (NBC 26) — Conflict in the Middle East is hitting local farmers at home, raising fertilizer prices as spring planning begins.
Input costs quickly become front and center on the farm, and one local farm leader says those costs are climbing faster than many can keep up with.
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"It's two-fold between the increase price of diesel and the increase price of fertilizer," Manitowoc County Farm Bureau President Brent Sinkula said.
Sinkula says that combination is putting pressure on operations, especially grain farmers. One of the biggest cost drivers right now is nitrogen fertilizer, which he says is up 30 to 40 percent from January.
"It's a nitrogen market that's affected by it, but the phosphates are getting tied into it too, and they're starting to go up again," Country Visions Co-op Agronomy Vice President Brian Madigan said.
"Until the ships start moving in the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz, we are probably not going to see much to give us relief right now," Madigan said.
The increased prices and shortages could hurt farmers for years to come.
"Oh, absolutely, because you have a bad year this year, now you're trying to chase that in the coming years," Sinkula said.
Sinkula says for now it is a waiting game, but adds farmers are used to weathering challenges like this, and he hopes they will all be able to bounce back.
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