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Add Fertilizer to the Growing List of Shortages Threatening America

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By Tanja Esser @ Shutterstock.com

The world has plenty of food, for now, but the reason that is has much to do with high yields on farmland acreage doused with fertilizers. Without modern farming techniques and the inputs that supply them, food will become more difficult to produce, and perhaps scarce. News 10 reports on Michigan farmers’ trouble with fertilizer shortages, writing:

A fertilizer shortage is putting the food supply at risk.

Fertilizer prices have tripled from where they were in 2021 and it’s forcing Mid-Michigan farmers to change how they grow their crops.

“You’re cutting off one hand to save the other,” said Seth Cords.

Cords is the third generation to farm his family’s land in Carmel Township, southwest of Charlotte. This year, he’s making some changes to how he grows his 1,200 acres of corn.

“We’re trying to feed more and more people in the whole world. You’ve got to have more and more yield,” said Cords.

Farmers rely on fertilizer to get more food from their fields. Without it, there wouldn’t be as much food available at the store. But the cost of the fertilizers farmers across Mid-Michigan use has doubled, and in some cases tripled.

“They don’t get the chance to really say ‘well, fertilizer went up this much, so I need X amount for my crop.’ It’s more they have to watch what the markets are doing,” said Theresa Sisung, Michigan Farm Bureau Industry Relations Specialist.

Sisung said while prices are high, they can still be managed.

“I don’t think we’re in a dire situation where we’re going to farmers’ just not planting because of fertilizer,” said Sisung.

But fertilizer costs have farmers like Cords changing how they farm their fields this year.

“We’ve cut back on the amount of fertilizer we normally would use. To try and mitigate the cost of everything,” Cords.

In the meantime, Sisung said we can expect to see food prices continue to go up into next year.

“We may see some shifts in crops and we might see some reduced fertilizer usage which could cause a little lower production,” said Sisung.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said farmers exported $177 billion worth of food worldwide last year.

The weather could also cause issues with the food supply. The USDA said only 1% of Michigan’s corn has been planted.

Action Line: You need to maintain your personal and financial security in the face of shortages and inflation. Stick with me and we’ll do it together.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zildjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West (RIP JB) and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com To sign up for my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, click here.

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