- Farmers are going through a fertilizer crisis caused by skyrocketing fossil fuel prices and industry consolidation. Liquid nitrogen, potash and phosphorus, three of the world’s most commonly used fertilizers, have more than doubled in price over the past two years.
A survey conducted by Minnesota-based data analysis firm DTN revealed that fertilizer prices are hitting all-time highs. As of May 1, the average price of liquid nitrogen was $730 per ton, diammonium phosphate was $1,050 per ton and urea was $1,012.
“Fertilizer makes up about 30 percent of the cost of growing an acre of corn,” said Gregory Ibendahl, who teaches farm management at Kansas State University. “But with the fertilizer price increase, now it is closer to 35 percent.”
On March 11, President Joe Biden pledged to tackle the problem in a press conference. He promised that his administration will create a $100-million program to support innovative American-made fertilizers to give U.S. farmers more choices in the marketplace. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest $500 million to try to lower fertilizer costs by increasing production.
“But since this probably isn’t enough money to construct new fertilizer plants, it is not clear how the money will be spent,” said Kathleen Merrigan, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems executive director at Arizona State University.
Also, according to Gary Schnitkey, soybean strategy chair for the Agriculture and Consumer Economics Department at the University of Illinois, farmers don’t have realistic substitutes for fertilizer.
“Nitrogen can be supplied by livestock manures, but those were being used before and there’s not going to be more of a supply of manure,” he said.
Schnitkey further stated that last year, China cut exports of nitrogen fertilizer and Europe shut down nitrogen fertilizer production. He said high natural gas prices in both places made fertilizer production too expensive and several New Orleans-area nitrogen fertilizer plants shut down in the wake of Hurricane Ida, which hit Louisiana last August.
Jason Grant, director of the Center for Agricultural Trade at Virginia Tech, said the massive demand surge and a surge in the price of fuel and natural gas trickled down into fertilizer.
The supply chain was also greatly impacted by the war in Ukraine. Rabobank analysts said Russia exports nearly 20 percent of the world’s nitrogen fertilizers and, combined with Belarus, 40 percent of the world’s exported potassium. (Related: Global food and fertilizer supply crisis gives Russia significant leverage.)
“If fertilizer prices persist, food shortages will undoubtedly follow as farmers cut back to save money,” Grant pointed out.
He further lamented that wealthy countries like the U.S. will surely have the food they need. However, low-income countries that are already experiencing food shortages could see their food supply dwindle even more.
Farmers may turn to recycled urine amid fertilizer shortage
Due to the current global shortages, scientists have been looking for other ways to source fertilizers.
Merrigan, who has held senior positions at the USDA, including deputy secretary of agriculture from 2009 to 2013, stated on her website that producing more synthetic fertilizer should not be the only answer to this serious challenge.
“The U.S. should also provide support for nature-based solutions, including farming practices that help farmers reduce or forgo synthetic fertilizers, and biological products that substitute for harsher chemical inputs,” she said.
This presents an opportunity for a more sustainable way of growing nutrient-rich crops. French researchers found that peecycling (urine recycling) could be the liquid gold alternative to chemical fertilizers.
“Urine could be a nutrient-rich alternative to commercial fertilizers considering that pee is filled with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium,” said Fabien Esculier, engineer and coordinator of the French OCAPI research program.
It is a well-known fact that synthetic nitrogen fertilizers boost agricultural production, but they go to river systems and other waterways when they are used in large quantities. This may cause blooms of algae that can kill fish and other aquatic life.
The engineer stated further that human waste is less polluting than synthetic fertilizers, which contain ammonia.
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The Rich Earth Institute (REI) is a non-profit organization in Vermont and it has been working on how urine can be recycled and used as a fertilizer in farming for over 10 years now. The workers of the organization collect about 10 thousand gallons a year from volunteers who bottle it at home and then bring it to a “urine depot.”
They also rent out urine-collecting portable toilets for events and supply free funnels in Brattleboro.
Abe Noe-Hays, founder of REI, said using urine as fertilizer is a better approach because it is sustainable. “There is no doubt that urine can be a safe fertilizer for growing any kind of crop,” Noe-Hays narrated in a video produced by University of Michigan researchers.
Visit FertilizerWatch.com for more news related to fertilizer shortages.
Watch the below video that talks about a Biden administration official celebrating the rise in fertilizer prices because it will hurt farmers.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- Op-ed suggests removing tariffs on fertilizer imports to alleviate high fertilizer prices.
- Mainstream media predictably blames Russia as fertilizer prices reach new highs.
- Midwest farmers struggling due to spiking fertilizer costs.
- Peecycling: Key to alleviating fertilizer shortages.
Sources include:
- Yahoo.com
- AgWeb.com
- FastCompany.com
- TheConversation.com
- News.Yahoo.com
- Leesu.fr
- Brighteon.com
- NATURAL NEWS
- Image by Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
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