Farmers Warn of Food Price Spike As Iran War Drives Up Fuel and Fertilizer Costs
Food prices are rising around the world. How is the Iran War contributing to higher costs, and what does it mean for farmers and consumers?
About a third of the world’s fertilizer supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and its effective closure is causing shortages and price spikes for fertilizer during the crucial spring planting season. That has led to fears of elevated food prices and lower crop yields. We hear from farmers about the impact on their crops and Geoff Bennett discusses the potential shortage with Caitlin Welsh.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
Warm-Up Questions
- Where does 1/3 of fertilizer produced in the world pass through?
- Why are many farmers prepared for a drop in fertilizer availability this year, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins?
- Who are some of the farmers interviewed in this story, and what are some of their concerns?
- What do some of the farmers interviewed for this story hope happens to lower prices of fertilizer?
- How might the current disruption affect food production around the world, according to Caitlin Welsh?
Essential Questions
- How do you think farmers and food producers are likely to adapt to the loss of access to fertilizer around the world?
- How do you think lower food production will affect people's health, countries' economies and international relationships around the world?
- Media literacy: Why do you think the producers of this segment focused on interviewing farmers directly? Who else could they have talked to in order to better understand the economic impact of the war with Iran on food and farming costs?
First, examine the infographic below. Note that the United States makes up 4-5% of the Earth's population. Then discuss:
- Why do you think the U.S. uses an amount of fertilizer disproportionate to its population compared to the rest of the world?
- What does this graphic tell you about the potential impact of the Iran conflict on agriculture in the U.S.?
- What impact might the conflict have on the U.S. economy overall, including inflation?
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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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