The South Carolina Farm Bureau announced on Apr. 17 that more than three-quarters of the state’s farmers are unable to afford fertilizer for this planting season, as revealed by a recent nationwide survey from the American Farm Bureau. The report links these difficulties to a combination of rising input costs, ongoing geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, and persistent drought.
These developments are significant because they threaten both the economic stability of South Carolina’s agricultural sector and the rural communities that depend on farming. According to survey results, urea prices have surged by 47% over six weeks—the largest month-to-month increase reported—while farm diesel prices have climbed 46% since late February. The countries most affected by Middle East instability account for nearly half of global urea exports and about a third of global ammonia exports.
Financial losses for staple crops in South Carolina have been substantial. In 2024, combined losses across corn, cotton and cottonseed, peanuts, soybeans, and wheat totaled $379 million; in 2025 these losses reached $324 million. Over two years, this amounts to more than $700 million lost for row crop producers due to high production costs outpacing commodity values.
“Our farmers are in a desperate situation that is out of their control,” said SCFB President Harry Ott. “We were already dealing with low commodity prices and now we have soaring fertilizer and fuel costs in addition to drought conditions across the state. If help doesn’t come soon, the agricultural landscape will look very different in 2027.” The Farm Credit Associations of South Carolina also warned about worsening credit access: “As typical in the early part of the year, our farm customers have requested operating lines of credit from us over the past few months… Our borrowers’ ability to qualify for financing is being adversely affected as consecutive difficult years have strained their liquidity… We fear that without support from the State, a number of South Carolina farmers could go out of business.”
The crisis has prompted organizations like South Carolina Farm Bureau Educational Foundation—which focuses on agricultural advocacy and education—to expand efforts supporting rural communities through programs such as Ag in the Classroom and legislative advocacy according to its official website. The foundation works statewide promoting agricultural interests while addressing concerns relevant not only to those directly involved in farming but all state residents according to its official website.
The foundation also seeks to strengthen agriculture’s economic role through education initiatives designed both for students and policymakers according to its official website. By sharing insights with decision makers regarding legislative priorities—and offering educational outreach—it aims to empower local communities facing mounting challenges according to its official website.
Broader implications include potential threats not only for individual farms but also for small-town schools, churches, businesses—and food security statewide—as Ott concluded: “Without our farmers, the future of South Carolina’s rural areas is bleak and the security dangers to outsourcing our food/feed supply chains are enormous.”
