JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) — Fertilizer prices were set to drop with U.S.-Iran peace deal news last week, but rising uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz has left South Carolina farmers struggling to afford what they need for spring planting.
The first day of U.S.-Iran peace talks ended Monday morning in Switzerland. But with Iran threatening to close the Strait and issuing new shipping terms, the impact on local agriculture continues.
A recent American Farm Bureau Federation survey shows 70% of farmers can’t afford what they need for spring planting. Some fields across the state are staying empty.
Local impact
Thomas Legare, one of the owners at Legare Farms, said fertilizer is essential to farming…