If global grain markets are in turmoil, the fertilizer market is going to precipitate a crisis. The International Food Policy Research Institute held a conference on the topic today that detailed just how threatening the fertilizer situation is to global grain markets. If nitrogen is withdrawn from field use, grain yields drop by 43 percent in just the first year. The supplemental application of nutrients is credited with saving billions of people from starvation. Yet Laura Cross of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) notes the confluence of five factors adversely impacting the market:
The demand for fertilizer has shot up concurrent with the increased need to grow food. The same supply chain disruptions affecting other indus...
What You Need to Know Today: Crude oil prices extended their rally today, supported by several developments, including escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure and growing concerns about supply disruptions. The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to remove 50 perc...
Key Takeaways: The agricultural trade surplus has become a sizable deficit: the balance swung from a $40.1 billion surplus in 2011 to a $40.7 billion deficit in 2025. Imports kept growing while exports lost momentum: between 2020 and 2025, agricultural imports increased 45 percent, compa...
USDA released its October Cattle on Feed report Friday, showing 11.4 million cattle in feedlots with capacity for 1,000 head or more, slightly below last year. September placements were the lowest for the month since records began in 1996, marking the third consecutive month of placements sett...
Regional News Dry weather across the UK and Europe is becoming increasingly concerning for the 2027 crops as planting intentions are lowered amid dry soil conditions. Delayed sowing or establishment under adverse conditions could leave crops more vulnerable to frost/freeze events and dise...
