American farmers face fertilizer crisis linked to U.S.-Iran tensions

Summary

American farmers are facing a severe fertilizer crisis as soaring prices force up to 70% of them to reduce crop planting. The crisis is exacerbated by geopolitical tensions, particularly the Trump administration's conflict with Iran, since about one-third of the world's nitrogen fertilizer must pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The article details how farmers like Bill Collins in Connecticut are cutting production by 20% due to unaffordable fertilizer costs, linking the domestic agricultural crisis directly to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.