Farm Operating Costs Are Out of Control

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan ( ) shares the biggest news affecting family farmers, starting with facts of the Iran war, how it’s impacting agriculture, how it’s impacting your life, and how it’s impacting energy and the cost of things, specifically fertilizer. Right now, the cost of fertilizer is $700 per ton. The last time Doug bought fertilizer by the ton, the cost was around $250 per ton. Now, $700 per ton. One more time . . . $700 PER TON. Additionally, the oil costs are driving up farm expenses, gasoline prices are averaging over $4 a gallon, diesel fuel prices are averaging nearly $6 a gallon, and immediate oil prices (the crude coming out of the ground) is averaging $100+ per barrel. Moving on, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $115 million investment across eight states to expand timber production, enhance forest health, and reduce wildfire risks. Funded through the Timber Production and Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP) , this initiative supports sawmills and wood processing facilities to boost domestic production by 25%. Lastly, Doug addresses the news that the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing a major appeal from Bayer-owned Monsanto, which seeks to throw out thousands of lawsuits claiming its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Monsanto, it could effectively terminate thousands of active lawsuits that argue for stricter, state-mandated cancer warnings. If the ruling favors the plaintiffs, it could significantly increase the legal liabilities for the company. Website: AmericanFamilyFarmerShow.com Social Media: @GoodDayNetworks

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Farm Operating Costs Are Out of Control is an episode from American Family Farmer by Doug Stephan.

This episode is 18:42 long.

This episode was published on May 6, 2026.

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