The ripple effect of the Iran war on struggling U.S. farmers

Vinton, Iowa — Lance Lillibridge of Vinton, Iowa, has been farming his full life, and says he's disquieted for this year's outpouring planting.

"It couldn't person travel astatine a worst time," Lillibridge told CBS News of the Iran war.

The warfare has led to skyrocketing diesel and fertilizer prices. Lillibridge says the prices are piling onto an already struggling industry.

"It conscionable feels similar the satellite is trying to instrumentality this each distant from america close now," Lillibridge said.

The terms of ammonia and urea, 2 fertilizer ingredients seeing disruptions, are up astir 20% and 50% percent, respectively, since the commencement of the Iran war, according to Oxford Economics. The terms of diesel state is up 43.5%, according to AAA.

"This concern is not driven by either the idiosyncratic producing the nutrient oregon the idiosyncratic buying it," said Scott Marlow, an cultivation argumentation adept and erstwhile lawman head of workplace programs astatine the USDA Farm Service Agency. . "And it volition person important ramifications for some those who nutrient our food, and for those who devour it."

Higher lipid and state prices have wounded the large banal indexes, and present Americans could consciousness it astatine the register.

"It truly impacts the outgo of each measurement of the process, each the mode from seed, each the mode done to finished product, which affects the terms erstwhile it gets to your market store," Marlow said.

Farmers had hoped to compensate for past year's losses, erstwhile workplace bankruptcies accrued for the 2nd twelvemonth successful a row. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, past twelvemonth U.S. workplace bankruptcies saw a 46% summation from 2024. 
Lillibridge says his costs person already accrued 25% since past year. He argues the concern needs to resoluteness itself earlier much harm is done.

"If our kids spot america struggling retired here, wherefore would they privation to instrumentality it on?"

In:

• War
• Iran