Georgia farmers burdened by fuel, fertilizer costs amid Iran War

The agriculture industry has taken several hits in the last 20 months, starting with Hurricane Helene in September 2024 ravaging farmland across southern Georgia. Tariffs and trade wars raised the cost of farm equipment and hurt beef sales. According to Farm Aid, soybean farmers suffered a $12.6 billion loss. Cuts to SNAP benefits in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act resulted in a $30 billion loss in critical revenue for farmers, according to a House Agriculture Committee report. The American Farm Bureau Federation also reported that 315 farms across the country went bankrupt last year, with 105 in the Southeast.

More recently, the U.S.-Israel war with Iran has been severely impacting the farming industry. According to The Fertilizer Institute, America is the third-largest consumer of fertilizer in the world. The problem is that about a third of the world’s fertilizer supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. A new survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation found that 70% of farmers can’t afford all the fertilizer they need, with only 19% in the South securing their needed supply. In addition to rising fuel and fertilizer prices, this year’s droughts and wildfires have also increased the burden on Georgia farms.

To learn more about how the local agriculture industry is coping with the barrage of challenges, “Closer Look” hosted a roundtable discussion with farmers from across the state. Guests included Henry Ostaszewski, the co-founder and managing partner of Blue 42 Market in Dahlonega, Georgia; Regenerative Farmer Wayne Swanson of Swanson Family Farm; Farmer EliYahu Ben Asa with Atlanta Harvest; and David Cromley, president of the Bulloch County Chapter of the Georgia Farmers Bureau and a sixth generation Bulloch County Farmer.