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Rising fertilizer and diesel prices are putting unexpected pressure on cattle producers this spring

Many cattle producers are feeling the pain from the sudden rise in fertilizer prices.  Charley Martinez with the University of Tennessee says larger producers likely purchased many of their inputs late last year.

“Smaller producers are buying as needed,” he says. “And right now, given where input prices are and where they have gone over the last couple of weeks, they’re having to sustain increased prices such that at some of the highest that we’ve ever seen.”

But, he tells Brownfield rising diesel prices are impact all operators. “To go out and actually put it out there and whatever vehicle, whether it’s a tractor, maybe it’s a pull wagon behind a truck, that diesel and the fuel that it’s taken to get this product out to the field is actually also hurting,” he says. 

Martinez says that’s an increase in variable costs that is putting unexpected pressure on producers. “We’re trying to get forage growth going as we get into the throes of spring,” he says. “And we need these animals, if they were fall calvers, we need those calves hitting pasture. Or if we have a spring calving group, it’s trying to get grass ready to go for them.”

Martinez says when it comes to nitrogen, Urea is up 32 percent from last month and is up nearly 69 percent on the year, UAN-32 is up 19 percent from last month and is up 53 percent on the year.  Potash (potassium) is up 10% from 2025 levels and DAP (phosphate) is up 16 percent.

AUDIO: Charley Martinez, University of Tennessee