The Strait of Hormuz plays a huge role in the global fertilizer market since many of the world’s nitrogen-based fertilizers, like urea and ammonia, are made in the Middle East and shipped through this route. When shipping is blocked, the supply tightens up and leaves farmers in tension. In recent weeks, fertilizer prices have risen from $516 per metric ton to $683 within a few days. Many American farmers rely on imported fertilizer; this increase in costs adds to their financial pressure, which is already high as they have begun purchasing supplies to grow crops like corn and wheat. Farmers will be forced to reconsider their planting strategies to adjust. Crops like corn need large amounts of fertilizer, which makes them expensive to grow due to increased fertilizer prices. Many farmers may switch to planting crops that need fewer nutrients, such as soybeans and lentils. Fertilizer is one of the most important inputs in modern agriculture, and reducing its usage can greatly impact productivity. By using less fertilizer, farmers will have reduced agricultural output later in the year.