Fertilizer Prices
Current prices for urea, anhydrous ammonia, DAP, UAN-32, and potash — the five fertilizers that matter most for corn and soybean farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Updated weekly from NOLA barge and Midwest dealer benchmarks.
Why Prices Move
Why Fertilizer Prices Move
Natural gas drives nitrogen costs (urea, anhydrous, UAN). Phosphate (DAP) prices follow global mining supply, with Morocco and China as dominant producers. Potash is dominated by Canada and Russia — any export disruption moves prices fast. Seasonal demand spikes before spring and fall applications regardless of global fundamentals.
What NOLA Barge Price Means
NOLA barge prices are traded at New Orleans river terminals — the wholesale benchmark for US fertilizer markets. To estimate your delivered cost, add freight: typically $30–$60/ton from NOLA to the upper Midwest by rail, plus dealer handling margin. Midwest prices shown here already include estimated freight.
Timing Fertilizer Purchases
Historically, fall and early winter offer softer anhydrous and urea prices before spring demand builds. But natural gas direction, global supply, and tariffs can override seasonal patterns. A common approach: lock in 50–60% of needs in fall at a price you can live with, leave the rest flexible for spring.
How These Prices Affect Break-Evens
For corn at 180 bu/acre applying 160 lbs actual N as urea: a $100/ton price increase adds roughly $17/acre to input costs, or about $0.09/bu to your break-even. At 180 bu and $4.50 corn that’s meaningful — fertilizer price direction matters as much as corn price direction for your margin.