Evaluating Nitrogen Rates for Corn With High Fertilizer Prices

Apr 07, 2026

By Jonathan LaPorte and Kurt Steinke

Passage through the Strait of Hormuz was nearly impossible due to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. The strait is a major throughway in the Middle East for global exports of crude oil, natural gas and nitrogen fertilizers. Approximately 50% of global exports of Urea and sulfur and 20% of global exports of natural gas pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Natural gas is a key ingredient for manufacturing anhydrous ammonia which is a basic building block for many nitrogen fertilizers. With global exports reduced, supply concerns have led to a significant increase in nitrogen fertilizer prices.

Reports from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) indicate that price per ton on nitrogen products have increased between 12.41% to 41.48% in the past month (Table 1). The price increase has put consideration pressure on buying decisions as farms finalize planting intentions and crop needs. Especially for farms who may not have purchased inputs in the fall due to tax strategies or limited available cash.

The changes in nitrogen products of Anhydrous Ammonia (NH₄), Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN), and Urea. Of the three nitrogen products, Urea has had the most significant change in pricing with an increase of 41.48%. Price increases are due to a combination of supply reductions in both the actual fertilizer and a major ingredient (natural gas) used to manufacture additional supplies.

To better understand the impact of these price changes, nitrogen fertilizer prices are often compared to the price of corn.

Source : msu.edu

Video: Democratizing Gene Editing - Pairwise’s Vision for the Future of Agriculture

Pairwise has built its business around an idea that runs counter to how many companies approach innovation: make transformative technology easier to access.

In this Seed World interview, CEO Tom Adams discusses why broader access to gene editing could speed crop improvement, expand innovation opportunities and help agriculture address emerging challenges. He explains why Pairwise believes no single company can solve all of agriculture's problems alone—and why making advanced breeding technologies available to more organizations could accelerate progress across the industry.

The conversation explores how consumer trust influences technology adoption, why innovations like pitless cherries and seedless blackberries matter beyond convenience, and how future crop improvements could help address labor shortages, automation, harvest efficiency and other production challenges. Adams also shares his perspective on what the industry may be underestimating about the next wave of gene editing innovation.

Watch the full interview to hear why Pairwise believes agriculture is approaching an important inflection point for gene editing, and why the pace of innovation over the next decade could surprise the industry.

Topics Covered:

o Democratizing agricultural innovation

o Consumer trust and technology adoption

o The business case for sharing innovation

o Expanding innovation beyond major crops

o Next-generation breeding technologies