US farmers warn Morocco fertilizer tariffs are adding to supply strain amid Gulf tensions

US farmers are raising alarm over fertilizer supply disruptions linked to rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing tariffs on imported fertilizers, warning that higher costs could threaten crop production and farm profitability.

Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, wrote to President Donald Trump urging immediate steps to protect domestic food security. In the letter, he said global fertilizer markets had become increasingly vulnerable to disruptions in maritime shipping routes, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for transporting key agricultural inputs.

“Global fertilizer markets have become highly exposed to disruptions in maritime transport routes, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a vital shipping passage for essential fertilizer materials and finished products,” Duvall wrote. He warned that energy production disruptions in the Middle East could further affect prices and availability of inputs farmers rely on.

“Without strategically prioritizing the availability of key agricultural inputs such as urea, ammonia, nitrogen, phosphate and sulfur based products, the United States risks facing crop shortages,” he added, warning that such shocks could also fuel inflation.

Farm groups also criticized continued countervailing duties on fertilizer imports from countries including Morocco and Russia, saying the tariffs add financial pressure on farmers already facing tight profit margins.

During a hearing before the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Duvall said farmers’ incomes this year are expected to be “about $50 billion lower than just a few years ago,” while input costs have risen at the fastest pace on record.

Several agricultural organizations have urged US authorities to secure shipping routes, strengthen domestic logistics and consider suspending tariffs on fertilizer imports to stabilize supplies and reduce costs for American farmers.