By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
Higher fuel and fertilizer prices brought on by the U.S. war in Iran are a one-two punch for many Southern Tier farmers.
It’s still not the biggest obstacle to Cattaraugus County agriculture, according to one Farm Bureau official.
The biggest unknown, said Cattaraugus County Farm Bureau manager Tim Bigham, is the weather.
Many farmers haven’t been able to prepare for planting because of the wet weather. And the soil will have to warm up considerably for farmers to get a good start on the 2026 growing season.
With the bombing of Iran by U.S. and Israeli warplanes beginning in February and the subsequent closing of the Strait of Hormuz which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through, oil, natural gas and fertilizer prices have skyrocketed.
“On top of the wet weather, the price of fuel and fertilizer are making this another challenging year for area farmers,” Bigham said.
It’s not the availability of fertilizer that’s a problem, but the cost, he said. Some farmers are planning on using more manure where they can. “No one has said they have a problem getting it, other than it’s very expensive,” Bigham said.
“Some farmers are relying more heavily on animal manure than they have in the past,” he added.
The American Farm Bureau Federation published the results of a nationwide farmer survey on April 14 that showed fertilizer affordability challenges to be greatest in the Northeast and South. They remain a concern for farmers in all regions.
The survey showed 70% of farmers surveyed in the Northeast were unable to afford all the fertilizer they needed. Only about 30% of Northeast farmers pre-booked their fertilizer purchases as compared to 67% of Midwest farmers, the survey showed.
“Farmers are adjusting fertilizer purchases and application in response to rising costs,” the survey stated. The concern is that this could affect crop yields.
Bigham said he’s not hearing a lot from area farmers he represents. “I’m not hearing complaints.”
With all its challenges, 2026 could be a “make or break year for some farmers,” Bigham said. “If you were already being challenged with your bottom line this could be a really tough year.”
Bigham added, “If this spring doesn’t allow for the planting of corn and taking hay, it’s going to be that much worse.”
With all the rain that’s fallen this spring, Bigham says it seems bad. Some farmers have been able to sneak into well-drained fields between storms to start plowing. “Whether the soil warms up enough to put in a crop and have it grow” is the question.
“Farming is definitely an occupation where they are regularly assessing how much they can roll with the punches,” Bigham said.
