High input costs require a ‘sharp pencil’ to assess farming operations

The escalating price of fuel and fertilizer is a major concern for agricultural producers. High grain and cattle prices don’t turn profits when input costs keep farmers and ranchers in the red. Want a snapshot of a farmer’s checkbook? As of December 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service estimates an annual price increase of 235% for anhydrous ammonia, 149% for urea…