“Fertilizer pre-booking rates varied significantly by region, with just 19% of Southern producers reporting fertilizer purchases secured ahead of the season, compared to 30% in the Northeast, 31% in the West and 67% in the Midwest, reflecting differences in planting decision timelines and exposure to recent price increases.”
“Fertilizer affordability challenges are most acute in the South and Northeast but remain a concern for farmers across all regions. Around 70% of respondents report being unable to afford all the fertilizer they need.”
“Farm diesel prices have increased 46% since the end of February, raising costs for fieldwork, fertilizer transport and irrigation during both planting and growing seasons.”
“Nearly six in 10 farmers report worsening finances, reflecting rising fertilizer and fuel costs during spring planting and underscoring the urgent need for immediate economic assistance to keep farms gates open.”
https://www.fb.org/market-intel/farm-bureau-survey-reveals-real-impact-of-fertilizer-availability-and-price
So 81% of the Southern farmers, 70% of the Northeastern farmers, 69% of the Western farmers and 33% of the Midwestern farmers are “sad hobby farmers” or “fucking morons.”
I’d like to see you call that to their faces and get quickly knocked off your pedestal.
There’s a lot of terms in here doing a lot of heavy lifting, like any other politically slanted piece you post.
“Afford ‘ALL’ their fertilizer”
6 in 10 (we don’t reduce fractions anymore?) report worsening finances. Well that’s been going on for years for myriad reasons, many of which don’t have fuck all to do with Trump or Iran
The percentages by region are slanted depending who they actually surveyed. Spoke with a colleague of mine who is a successful independent ag retailer in the Mississippi delta for two hours the other day when I was on the road to Indy. I asked him specifically about the fertilizer issue that has been posted here repeatedly and he said all his good farmers are doing ok. The guys that are always scraping to get by, well, they’re struggling. The same farmers who are only in business due to the subsidies Murph hates.
Different regions grow different crops and have different fertilizer needs. The reason the Midwest locked in prices early is that they use more in season fert that’s more susceptible to massive price swings. Other regions would have already applied more fertilizer last fall and/or grow more legumes that don’t really even need in-season fertilizer.
Good farmers that farm for a living don’t expose themselves to increases in their biggest expenses. People with jobs in town that farm on the side usually don’t worry that much about it. Just so happens this year screwed them. It’s almost always better to buy in the fall than the spring and they should know that.
This Farm Bureau piece is nothing more than a very thinly veiled appeal for government relief for the people who pay the Farm Bureau’s bills. Keep sharing it, I want farmers to have as much money to spend as possible.