SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Elkhart County farmer Brent Reed is ready for another planting season in Michiana, continuing the tradition his ancestors started in 1888.
However, even though his family has been farming for nearly 140 years, this year is proving there’s still a first time for everything.
“There's not much wiggle room as far as profit this year,” Reed explained, “and getting a crop out how you want it is crucial.”
Most of the strain on farmers stems from the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran, and the corresponding blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.
Farmers depend on the Strait of Hormuz for delivery of nitrogen fertilizer, and the constant change in the status of the Strait has sent prices soaring.
“The last two months, fertilizer has increased from 20 to 60 percent depending on what you're buying,” Reed claimed.
Brieanna Slonaker grew up on a farm outside of Culver and is the Marshall County Extension Educator for Purdue University. She says while a majority of Midwest farmers buy their fertilizer months in advance, one in three local farmers is in a precarious position heading into planting season.
“There's roughly 40 percent of farmers in the United States that aren't going to be able to afford to put on any fertilizer,” Slonaker explained.
Fortunately for Reed, he locked in his price for fertilizer before the war began. However, that hasn’t really saved him a lot of stress.
“Everything's real tight,” Reed explained, “and we've had a plan since the first of the year, but we're trying to execute that plan for our farm.”
Another component complicating his plan is the weather.
“By now, we're [usually] starting on planning, and we haven't planted a thing,” Reed said.
Nearly a foot of unrelenting rain this spring has made it borderline impossible for farmers to do anything in their fields. With all the uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, for Reed, getting his seeds off of the shelf and into the soil soon is crucial.
“We need time to dry out yet, and we need warm weather now,” Reed explained. “So, we can have an average, hopefully above average, yield to take away from the lower grain price.”
If the weather cooperates, the price at the pump might not. As of May 1, diesel prices are sitting near $6 across the Hoosier State, stressing farmer’s finances even further.
“How many times that you're having to go across that field, pass across that field, you're using up that fuel as well,” Slonaker explained.
But if you believe these obstacles would be too much for farmers like Reed, think again.
“It's part of farming. It's a cycle,” Reed explained. “It's up and down every so many years.”
It’s a sentiment Slonaker says is common amongst those in Michiana agriculture.
“Some guys might look at it and be like, ‘I'm going to get out. You know, I've had my time. I've had my fair share,’ and there's some who say, ‘Okay, it's just another, another hiccup in the road.’” Slonaker explained.
“Farmers are resilient. They're going to get that crap in the ground no matter what,” Slonaker added.
For Reed, it’s not just about keeping the family farm afloat this year. It’s about beating the odds so that others can follow in his footsteps.
“It's a little bit of pressure too, to continue it and be efficient and make sure it's there for the next generation,” Reed said.