By Marlee Jackson

Surging fertilizer prices joined a growing list of concerns for Alabama farmers as they entered planting season with drought conditions and depressed commodity prices. 

In early April, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) reported nitrogen fertilizer prices have risen more than 30% during escalating tensions in the Middle East, while combined fuel and fertilizer costs have increased 20% to 40%. Urea prices have risen by 47% since the end of February.

Will Richardson said those spikes make him thankful for a regional resource available due to Southern poultry production.

“Luckily, a few years ago we decided to start using chicken litter (a natural fertilizer) again,” said Will, who grows row crops in west Alabama. “That has helped a lot to keep our input prices down. But that has nothing to do with what or how we’re going to plant. We haven’t changed how we’re doing things. The only thing we’ve changed this year is our acreage. We want to make sure we don’t overfertilize or overspray or make extra passes.”

That caution is increasingly urgent with the state of the farm economy, said Alabama Farmers Federation’s Carla Hornady, a commodity director who works with row crop farmers.

In April, AFBF conducted a survey that showed nearly 80% of Alabama respondents say fertilizer is so expensive they will not be able to buy all the fertilizer they need.

Just 12% of those surveyed prebooked fertilizer in advance of planting season.

Planting Predictions

Fertilizer spikes could also reverse a predicted upswing in Alabama corn acres.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Prospective Planting Report released March 31 estimated Alabama corn would skyrocket 17% from 2025, reaching 410,000 acres. USDA conducted the annual survey before recent global conflicts pressured energy prices, fertilizer supply and trade agreements, Hornady said.

“All crops benefit from fertilizer, but corn is especially reliant on fertilizer to increase growth and yields,” Hornady said. “We could see some farmers turn to a crop that needs less fertilizer and is still yielding an OK market price, like soybeans; however, we always take these reports with a grain of salt. Even without global conflicts, there’s a chance farmers change their intentions on what to plant. On the other hand, many farmers will stick to a strong rotation or the plan they penciled out months ago.”

USDA’s report expects cotton acres to flatline at 290,000 acres, while peanuts could tick up slightly by 3% to 200,000 acres. Soybeans could trend downward by 2% to 290,000 acres. Winter wheat, planted last fall, is down around 9% to just 100,000 acres.

Trimming the Fat

Will Richardson farms with his father, Rod, and brothers Walt and David. While their home farm is nestled around Leroy in Washington County, they’ve spent more than a decade also working land farther north into the Black Belt Region.

They’ve scaled back that acreage, thanks in part to high input costs, pressure from deer and wild pigs, and accessibility.

“If commodity prices were higher, we might still be there,” Rod said.

Hornady said she’s heard stories of other farmers trimming the fat on acreage — leaving ground fallow and prioritizing the most productive acres, often those closest to home. Others are picking up acreage to spread risk and cover the cost of production.

It’s a sign of uncertain times, Hornady added.

Nearly 92% of Alabama farmers reported financial conditions are the same as or worse than last year, according to AFBF. Nationally, that statistic reaches 94%.

“A few bad seasons used to put a farmer out of business,” Will said. “Now, it just takes one.”

The Richardsons said they’re holding out hope for bumper crops, a boost in commodity prices and a break in current drought conditions. Alabama is alarmingly behind its average yearly rainfall, with no notable rain in sight as of April 20.

“If I was being honest, as much as anything, I just hope we come out this year,” Will said. “We don’t want to sit around and wait on a Trump check. We hope to be profitable.”

He continued, “In the end, we’re always hopeful. You’ve got to be as a farmer.”