Fertilizer: Why It's Important To All Of Us

Fertilizer: Why it’s important to all of us. When most of us think about our food supply, we think of grocery store shelves, farmers’ markets, and maybe even our own backyard gardens. What we do not usually think about is fertilizer. Yet fertilizer is one of the quiet foundations that our entire food system rests on. Without it, crop yields drop, prices rise, and the food we count on becomes harder to find and more expensive to buy. I want to walk through why fertilizer matters so much right now, and why I believe stocking up on food is simply wise, no matter what happens next.

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Why fertilizer matters more than most of us realize

Modern farming depends heavily on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers to keep soil productive enough to feed a growing world. Nitrogen fertilizer alone accounts for roughly 110 million tons of the nearly 190 million tons of plant nutrition products used worldwide each year. Without these inputs, farmers simply cannot grow enough food on the same amount of land. That means fertilizer is not some small farming detail. It is directly tied to how much food ends up on your table and mine.

The Strait of Hormuz and why a narrow strip of water affects your kitchen table

Earlier this year, conflict in the Middle East disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important waterways for oil, natural gas, and fertilizer. Before the disruption, roughly 30% of global fertilizer exports moved through that narrow passage, along with a large share of the sulfur needed to produce phosphate fertilizer. When ship traffic through the strait fell by more than ninety-five percent at the height of the crisis, urea and phosphate shipments backed up, natural gas prices climbed sharply, and fertilizer plants in the Gulf region were forced to shut down.

Nitrogen Fertilizer

Because nitrogen fertilizer production depends heavily on natural gas, prices for ammonia and urea rose quickly. Farmers preparing for spring planting faced a difficult choice between paying much higher fertilizer prices and cutting back on the amount they applied to their fields. Either choice affects the harvest that eventually reaches our grocery stores.

The good news is that since an interim peace agreement was reached, shipping through the strait has begun to recover, with fertilizer cargo vessels once again leaving the Gulf region. That is a hopeful sign. But experts have been clear that the effects of a disruption like this do not disappear overnight. Because fertilizer applied today affects harvests that will not reach store shelves for months, agencies such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have warned that tighter food supplies could persist well into next year, even as shipping improves.

Tariffs and the cost of growing our food

On top of the shipping disruption, American farmers have also been dealing with the cost of tariffs on imported phosphate fertilizer. Morocco holds about 70% of the world’s phosphate reserves, but duties imposed on Moroccan fertilizer in 2021 pushed prices higher for years, reportedly adding nearly $7 billion in extra costs for American farmers between 2021 and 2025.

Recently, in response to the fertilizer supply crunch, the administration suspended those duties for 8 months to help ease costs for farmers heading into the planting season. This is a helpful step, and it shows how closely trade policy and food security are connected. A tariff on a fertilizer input thousands of miles away can eventually show up as a higher price tag at your local grocery store.

Why grocery stores cannot simply absorb a disruption

Here is something many people do not realize. Most grocery stores operate on a just-in-time supply model. Rather than storing large amounts of extra inventory, stores rely on frequent deliveries, often multiple times a week, to keep shelves stocked. Because of this, many stores only carry enough inventory on hand to last about three days under normal conditions. This system works wonderfully when supply chains run smoothly. It becomes a real problem the moment something interrupts the flow, whether that is a storm, a fuel shortage, a shipping bottleneck, or a spike in farming costs that ripples through the whole system.

This is exactly why I have spent years encouraging my readers to build up their own food storage. It is not about fear. It is about being the kind of family that is ready for whatever comes.

What this means for your family

I am not a farmer, an economist, or a trade expert, and I always encourage you to consult qualified professionals and trusted sources, such as the USDA or Penn State Extension, for technical details. But as someone who has spent years thinking about food storage and preparedness, here is what I take away from all of this. Our food system is more connected to global events than most of us ever stop to consider. A conflict overseas, a shipping delay, or a change in tariff policy can all affect the price and availability of the food we depend on.

That is exactly why I keep saying the same thing again and again on this blog. Build your food storage now, while you have the time and the ability to do it thoughtfully. Start with the basics your family actually eats. Rotate what you store so nothing goes to waste. Add a little each week rather than trying to do it all at once. Whether or not a shortage ever reaches your local store, having a well-stocked pantry gives you peace of mind and one less thing to worry about.

Will Wheat Be in Short Supply This Year?

15 Items To Prioritize

Here are fifteen items that make sense to prioritize, since they come from crops that are most dependent on nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers to grow well, or are downstream products made from those crops.

Wheat flour and whole wheat berries, since wheat is one of the most fertilizer-dependent staple crops in the world
Rice, particularly white rice, which stores well and relies heavily on fertilizer-intensive growing methods
Dried corn or cornmeal, since corn requires some of the highest fertilizer inputs of any major crop
Pasta, since it is made from wheat and has a long shelf life
Oats, another grain crop sensitive to fertilizer costs and availability
Dried beans, including pinto, black, and navy beans, since legumes are a stable protein source if grain prices rise
Lentils, which store for years and provide protein without depending on meat supply chains
Cooking oil, especially soybean or canola oil, since oilseed crops are also fertilizer intensive
Sugar, since sugar beets and sugar cane both rely on heavy fertilizer use
Canned vegetables, particularly corn, green beans, and tomatoes, since these crops are affected by both fertilizer costs and transportation
Canned or dried potatoes, since potatoes require significant fertilizer input per acre
Powdered milk, since dairy cattle feed relies on corn and soy, both fertilizer-dependent crops
Peanut butter, since peanuts are a fertilizer-sensitive crop and peanut butter stores for a long time
Baking staples like yeast and baking powder, since bread production will matter more if flour prices rise
Animal feed grains if you keep chickens or livestock, since your animals depend on the same fertilizer-affected grain supply you do

A helpful approach is to buy a little more of these staples each time you shop rather than trying to stock up all at once. That keeps your budget steady and lets you rotate your supply so nothing goes to waste.

Why Are Grocery Store Shelves So Empty Right Now?

30 Food Items That You Need Now

Final Word

Fertilizer shortages can feel like a distant problem, something happening on the other side of the world that has nothing to do with our own kitchens. But as we have seen, the food on our shelves is tied to farming decisions made months in advance, and those decisions depend on fertilizer that comes from places far beyond our control. None of us can change global shipping routes or trade policy. What we can do is quietly and steadily build up our own food storage so our families are ready no matter what happens with prices or availability down the road. Start small, choose foods your family already eats and enjoys, and add to your supply a little at a time. That is how real preparedness happens: not all at once out of fear, but steadily out of love for the people you care for. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Fertilizer with Man At Store AdobeStock_308118847By JackF, Tractor Spraying Fertilizer Depositphotos_740397656_S