Facing a global shortage of commercial fertilizers made worse by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, more U.S. growers are turning toward old-fashioned animal manure, reports Reuters.
Some livestock and dairy farmers, including those who previously paid to have their animals' waste removed, have found a fertile side business selling it to grain growers.
While manure can replace some of the nutrient shortfall, it's no panacea, agriculture specialists say. There's not enough supply to swap out all the commercial fertilizer used in the U.S. Transporting it is expensive. And prices for animal waste, too, are rising on strong demand.
Sky-high prices for industrial fertilizer are projected to reduce American farmers' corn and wheat plantings this spring, according to U.S. government data.
