1041 ET - Rising fertilizer prices from the Iran conflict are expected to prompt more American farmers to plant soybeans this spring instead of corn, executives at Bayer say. The recent halt in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has jolted fertilizer markets, sending prices higher at a time when farmers are already struggling to make a profit. The Strait accounts for nearly 25% of global trade in nitrogen fertilizer, according to analysts at StoneX. Corn crops typically use more fertilizer than soybeans. Bayer expects more farmers to shift to soybeans to cut costs, which will hurt the company's bottom line because the products it sells farmers for growing corn are more profitable than those for soybeans. Bayer is off 4%. (patrick.thomas@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 04, 2026 10:41 ET (15:41 GMT)

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